《The Obsessive Male Leads Want to Eat Me Alive》 Chapter 1 Episode 1: Enter, ¡¸Crown Prince Axelferion- The Fris Empire was slaughtered and the victory was won. Who is the ¡®Annette¡¯ he is looking for? ¡¹ As I was reading the newspaper, my pupils shook. The headlines contained the news of the crown prince¡¯s victory, but in fact, it was not surprising that he won. Because the crown prince was such a powerful person ¨C one with magic powers. It was surprising, however, that the only reason for the war was to find a woman named Annette. ¡®Wasn¡¯t it money?¡¯ In the article it was written: As soon as the crown prince, who was not originally interested in war, heard that Annette was hiding in the Fris Empire, he swept the continent at once. Gulp, wahh¨C Saliva pooled. Because¡­ Because I was the Annette the fearsome prince was looking for! But below that was another formidably shocking headline. ¡¸The next Tower Lord, Grand Duke Heinrich, put a reward of 5.8 trillion gold on the older sister he lost when he was young. ¡¹ ¡°¡­Crazy.¡± That was as good as a one-year budget for a huge empire. ¡°Who bets the state budget as a reward¡­?¡± Who was this? It was Heinrich, the scoundrel I raised as a younger brother. It wasn¡¯t just that. I found an even more disturbing article beneath it. ¡¸According to the available information, Larva declares war on Delphi, ¡°You touched the bakery, so I will destroy the three tribes¡±¡¹ ¡®Are you going to destroy the three tribes just for touching a bakery?¡¯ They touched a bakery¡­? As the owner of that ¡®bakery¡¯, I really want to stop you, Kyle. The three of them, really. ¡°They¡¯re out of their minds¡­¡± It was when I was talking to myself as if I was tired of it. The door opened with a heavy bang. The moment I looked back in surprise, I had no choice but to freeze immediately. The man who took on the role of a new ¡®door¡¯ in place of the one blown away was about 190 centimeters tall and had shoulders broad enough to fill the door. His muscular chest, which was exposed under the thick collarbone, was so wonderful that there was nowhere to place my eyes. ¡®Why are you opening your shirt again?¡¯ Regardless of my doubts, he began to walk towards me with graceful yet beastly movements. The moonlight slanting in an oblique line illuminated his body unrealistically. His armor-like chest, countless scars, and stomach clearly split along the shape of his muscles.(T/N: in case it wasn¡¯t clear, the latter part of the sentence is describing abs hahaha.) The atmosphere was raw enough that it almost felt barbaric. The man approached me and lightly supported my chin with his long index finger. ¡°You are here, Annette.¡± Finally, under the moonlight, the man¡¯s face was revealed. Under his black hair that was like the night when no one was out and around, were eyes that were red to the point of being scary. I muttered his name like a moan. ¡°Sislin¡­¡± He was the crown prince of this country, Sislin. The one I just read about in the newspaper. As if answering my call, Sislin rolled his eyes and smiled. It was clearly a smile of madness. He whispered; ¡°I thought I was going crazy because I missed you. Annette.¡± ¡®Excuse me, but it looked like you had turned enough already (?), Your Highness.¡¯(T/N: the ¡®(?)¡¯ is in the raws.) Clang¨C Then something cold touched my wrist with a metallic sound. Crazy, it was shackles. ¡°Now if you want to run away¡­¡± Broad shoulders leaned towards me. As I instinctively breathed in, I could feel the man¡¯s strong body scent. ¡°Cut off my wrist and run away.¡± The cruel red eyes that followed the shackles attached to us flashed brightly. Thump thump. That was when my heart started beating fast. Whoosh¨C Suddenly, a wind blew. I quickly looked out the window and found a man sitting on the window sill. A handsome man with dazzling silver hair was relaxing in the pouring moonlight. ¡°¡­Heinrich?¡± ¡°Sister.¡± He jumped in. The noble purple eyes were still beautiful even though I had not seen them in a long time. ¡®How did he find me?¡¯ The last time I saw him, those pretty eyes were full of tears¡­ Now, Heinrich had a mature gaze, and his smirk and charming hands were completely a grown man¡¯s. Like flowing water, he approached and hugged me like when he was an 11-year-old boy, and buried his head into my back. ¡°I missed you.¡± A hot whisper pierced my heart. ¡°¡­Why didn¡¯t you keep your promise? Sister, you decided not to leave me behind.¡± Every time he uttered in a pained voice, my skin kept tickling. ¡°Heinrich¡­¡± Heinrich raised his head and looked sideways down at my cheek and whispered in my ear. ¡°Lies are a bad thing.¡± The long purple eyes were bent innocently and cruelly. ¡°What punishment should be given to a child who has done something bad?¡± Hmph! That was the moment when I hardened my body. A damp voice came up from my feet. ¡°Owner.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± What! I was surprised for a moment and looked down to see a handsome man kneeling at my feet. ¡®When did you appear, Kyle!¡¯ The man, with curly brown hair and green eyes, was wearing disheveled, tilted glasses. I hadn¡¯t seen Kyle in a long time. To explain, should I say he¡¯s a little guy who always lingered around me? Kyle was a regular customer of our bakery. ¡°Owner, please.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡®Kyle, please put ¡®bakery¡¯ in front of ¡®owner¡¯. If you use such an unconventional abbreviation, people will misunderstand you!¡¯ He grabbed my ankles with his big, pretty hands and kissed the top of my feet. ¡°Please stay by my side forever. Please, please.¡± He lowered his long eyelashes and whispered with his red lips. Like a soft deer, he was infinitely obedient. But, him, him¡­ ¡®According to the available information, you are the leader of the killers of Larva!¡¯ ¡®I know you¡¯re a scary person even if you pretend to be obedient in front of me.¡¯ ¡®How can there be no normal person among these three?¡¯ I suddenly had a reality check and the corners of my lips twitched. ¡°Annette, I can¡¯t release these shackles until I die. No¡­ I can¡¯t even let it go even if I die.¡± ¡°Sister, you know right? I love you.¡­ forever¡­¡± ¡°Please be with me for the rest of my life, my owner.¡± With these three obsessive maniacs clinging to me, I thought with blurred eyes. ¡®How did all three of them go crazy?¡¯ I was starting to worry about my future being entwined with these obsessive maniacs, but now I actually needed to look back on my past. The reason why these three obsessive maniacs couldn¡¯t eat me and made me anxious must have been from the past. So maybe¡­ It seemed that all incidents started from that day. Just ¡®that day.¡¯ The day I first met Sislin. * * * In the night when everyone was asleep. That night, I was hiding in the kitchen. It had already been a week. To meet Sislin, I put a savory cheese bread on the counter and waited. ¡®Huh? He came out!¡¯ Mmph¨C I covered my mouth as I watched the little hand fumble for the bread. ¡®He finally showed up¡­ I¡¯m so nervous.¡¯ As soon as the little hand found the bread, he hid like a busy squirrel. And after a while, the sound of eating bread ¡®munch munch¡¯ was heard from behind the hidden counter. ¡®Cute¡­!¡¯ My heart was pounding very hard. It was the moment where I would finally meet the boy for the first time. Until now, he was just a character in an ¡®obsessive maniac¡¯ novel, a synonym for obsession, madness, and decadence. Of course, he was only 11 years old now. ¡®You should approach it as quietly as possible.¡¯ Although he was still a child, he was a high-level Awakener who had already realized his abilities, so his five senses were as sensitive as a wild beast. Munch munch. When the sound of eating got pretty close. I cautiously reached out and revealed myself to the child. ¡°¡­ Hey, hi?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Finally, the boy raised his head. Black hair tangled like a chimney cleaning brush. Frightened red eyes hidden by bangs, but it¡¯s so pretty. He had dark soot all over his clothes and cheeks. It was certain. This boy was Sislin. ¡®Ah, more than I expected¡­¡¯ ¡®Really much more.¡¯ ¡®You are so cute!!!¡¯ I squeezed my lips to hold back my inner scream. Heuk, he looked like a dirty little wolf. I cautiously reached out and opened my mouth, fearing that the boy might be surprised. ¡°My name is Annette, let¡¯s get to know each other¡ª¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± It was then. The boy turned around like a cautious wild animal and went into the cabinet under the countertop. ¡°Ah! Wait a minute!¡± I stretched out my arms straight away, but my arms were short because I was just a child. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ Meanwhile, the little beast went into a small hole in the lower compartment and disappeared. In the place where Sislin had left laid bread that had barely been bitten a couple of times. ¡°¡­He should¡¯ve taken the bread.¡± I was so upset that I muttered so. He must have been hungry. It had been three months since Sislin awakened his powers and was trapped in the mansion¡¯s cave. This mansion was also called ¡®Forest¡¯, and in the forest, children who awakened their abilities like Sislin often appeared. The characteristics expressed in Sinlin during awakening were extraordinarily sensitive hearing, sight, and smell¡­ It was from then. The boy hid in the cave to avoid the noise, the smell, and the scary things in the world. This mansion was originally renovated from a site where a small tribe lived, so there was a cave as an emergency passageway. ¡®Adults can never get in.¡¯ Not only that, even if children could enter, it was easy for them to get lost in the cave maze. The boy hid there, so no one could find him. A sigh leaked out. ¡°I can¡¯t believe he barely comes out at night and steals food.¡± It was a much worse environment than expected. And, in a little while, the madam would set a trap for beasts at the entrance to catch this guy. Then he would seriously injure his ankle. ¡®I have to rescue you.¡¯ It must be lonely and scary, but I couldn¡¯t leave you alone like that anymore. When I saw it with my own eyes, it became even clearer. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll do my best.¡± But the next day, Sislin did not appear. Even though I purposely prepared a sausage that smelled amazing. The next day too. And the following day as well. For several days, not a single hair of the boy was seen. For a week, every day he starved, my stomach burned black. ¡®Ah, it¡¯s finally here!¡¯ To my delight, I saw a small hand carefully picking up the oat loaf. That hand looked just as sensitive as a snail¡¯s antenna, so I didn¡¯t move and opened my ears this time. Fortunately, there was the sound of rustling and eating. ¡®I should be quiet.¡¯ ¡®Please fill your stomach and go.¡¯ I quietly held my breath and waited for him to finish eating. I felt like I became an anxious mother cat watching a stray pick a can and secretly eat from it. In the end, I missed the right time to talk to him. Still, the feeling of relief that the boy had eaten and had a full stomach calmed my heart. For a week like that, I waited, listening only to the sounds of Sislin eating. I also changed the menu daily. Cheese bread, sausage, fruit, stew, salami and so on. ¡®He has to gain 10kg of flesh first.¡¯ He was too skinny, like a skewer. In such a state, it was unbelievable that he would grow up to be 190cm tall later. Then one day, I accidentally placed barley bread on the edge of the counter. Tuk¨C As usual, his hands, which had been moving in search of bread, shook a little as if he was bewildered. ¡°Haha.¡± The moment I saw it, I laughed without realizing it and he was startled. Fortunately, the boy did not run away. Reluctantly, I slowly revealed myself. Even if I hadn¡¯t talked to him, wouldn¡¯t he have known I was there? It must have smelled like a human. Sure enough, Sislin didn¡¯t avoid me even when he saw me. However, unlike before, he ate a little bit of bread. Within a week, the boy became even more skinny, and my heart ached. ¡°¡­¡­¡± I sneaked up to the boy. Like a giant trying to stand next to a very delicate and fragile flower. But when I sat next to the boy, we were about the same height. For a while, without saying a word, I waited for the boy to eat. The boy looked at me and ate bread without making a sound, whether he was hungry or not. Still, he couldn¡¯t hide the cute movement of his cheeks because he was chewing. ¡®Be still. My heart.¡¯ I finally carefully asked the boy. ¡°Hey, are you Sislin?¡± ¡°Do not talk to me.¡± The boy¡¯s voice was rough because he had not spoken for a long time, but it was a beautiful voice that was enchantingly pleasing. I blinked and asked belatedly. ¡°¡­Why can¡¯t I talk to you?¡± ¡°I am a dirty kid.¡± A dark shadow fell over the boy¡¯s red eyes. ¡°If you talk to me, you will get dirty too.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Ah¡­ My heart ached terribly at Sislin¡¯s unexpected response. What the heck had that little boy been hearing¡­ so that he would talk like that? We were at an age where we should only be happy without worrying. I needed to say some pretty things. ¡°No, you¡¯re not dirty at all. Later, you will become a better and higher person than anyone else.¡± I looked at Sislin and smiled brightly on purpose. ¡°That¡¯s what I believe.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± For a moment, Sislin forgot to eat the bread and looked at me blankly. Then, his ears became as red as ripe berries. ¡®Ah, what a pitiful and cute child.¡¯ This cute and adorable child¡­ You mean he would grow up to become a terrifying obsessive maniac? ¡®I can¡¯t believe it at all, Writer.¡¯ Wasn¡¯t it too dark of a blackening? When I thought of Sislin as an adult, it was almost at the level of a child¡¯s rotting! ¡®Dangerous. It¡¯s very dangerous.¡¯ I realized once again the enormous danger of the novel I possessed. * * * The novel I now possessed had the exhausting BL genre. Titled . It was an extremely erotic novel with all kinds of triggering elements such as coercive sex, confinement, kidnapping, and assault. (PLEASE take note of the following: (1) We are more or less following the promo manhwa¡¯s naming. (2) Though they call her ¡®Sister¡¯, they¡¯re not actually siblings, no incest here! (3) This novel will be updated at least once a week, but if our schedule allows, certain weeks will have more updates. Like, this week haha. See you in a day or two for Episode 2!) Chapter 2 The main characters Sislin and Heinrich met for the first time at the mansion. The mansion was called the ¡®Forest¡¯. A kind of secret nurturing institution that collected orphans of unknown origin and worked to awaken their abilities. The worldview was such that magic and abilities were very rare, and nobles were willing to donate huge amounts of money to adopt children with abilities. For a child with abilities would become a trophy that would make the name of the family shine. In the novel, children raised in the ¡®Forest¡¯ were called ¡®Trees¡¯. In this forest, an ancient shaman gave his life to cast a powerful spell, which unleashed the children¡¯s potential, awakening them. However, this powerful and useful witchcraft often had side effects. After becoming an adult, the more ¡®awakened¡¯ and greater the ability, the more abruptly one would lose their intelligence and go astray. It was okay when one was young, but it meant that it would be difficult as an adult. ¡®That¡¯s why Sislin and Heinrich suffered.¡¯ In that novel, my favorite was the main character, Heinrich. A boy who was born from the body of a lowly courtesan, but inherited the genius and magical talents of his noble father. He was the best tree in the forest. ¡®Even his face was pretty!¡¯ However, this beautiful talent with purple eyes and silver hair was arrogant and engrained with a sense of entitlement from being abandoned. In addition, the trauma of hearing his father say abusive words like ¡®You were born from a dirty body¡¯ made him pursue the extremes in cleanliness. Heinrich¡¯s father was the one who threw away the courtesan who was with his child like a used tissue. To such a duke, Heinrich was just a foreign object in his life. This boy, who had been abandoned even when the umbilical cord was still attached, drifted to and fro and flowed into the ¡®Forest¡¯ when his mother, who raised him alone, died. In the process, Heinrich¡¯s trauma got progressively worse, and his ¡®pursuit of cleanliness¡¯ became even greater. ¡®By the way, Sislin was acting like a beggar¡­¡¯ When he first met Heinrich, Sislin¡¯s condition was truly miserable. He had soot from living in a cave, and he looked like a black dusty ghost. Besides, his feet that were caught in the trap were rotting from an infection. Heinrich felt physiological discomfort the moment he saw Sislin. So the first thing he said was, ¡°Dirty.¡± ¨CIt was this. Since then, this savage Chihuahua had been terribly tormenting Sislin. ¡®He earned his own keep.¡¯ The readers accepted Heinrich¡¯s pitiful narrative, saying that his personality could be crooked, but¡­ In the eyes of the young obsessive maniac, he was just a cub who he needed to get revenge upon. ¡®Heinrich was pretty bad.¡¯ I was surprised by his personality of stepping on a crippled, sore foot, to the extent that I thought it was acceptable for him to be beaten a few times later with blurry eyes. However, there was a secret , in which Sislin actually had the blood of the imperial family. Sislin, who later became a member of the royal family, framed Heinrich for treason. And he left him with nowhere to go and tormented him viciously almost to the point of deboning. ¡®It was really miserable and pitiful¡­¡¯ There was not a single peaceful scene, so when a peaceful moment between the two came out, readers had to juice it and read it as if licking a yogurt lid.(T/N: meaning, to savor it/ enjoy it to the utmost/ make the moment last ^^) ¡®I was also a giant Hurom.¡¯(T/N: ?? is a Korean juicer brand. She¡¯s saying she¡¯s basically a juicer for such moments haha.) However, no matter how much juice was squeezed, it was difficult to see the journey of Sislin, who gradually evolved into a crazy bastard. ¡®Please stop. Stop¡­!¡¯ It was the days when I fell asleep crying, wetting my pillowcase with tears, because my dearest character was pitiful. Then all of a sudden I got into the novel! ¡°Isn¡¯t it too rushed¡­¡± I muttered to myself. ¡°Annette, do you have any questions?¡± Then the teacher who was conducting the class in front of me asked with a smile. Oh, I forgot it was class time. I could see the twinkling eyes of the children looking back at me. From 4 to 12 years old, the ages of the children participating in group classes varied, but they all had one thing in common. All of them were so cute¡­! They were like blackened quail eggs. I smiled and shook my head. ¡°No, Sir.¡± ¡°Then, shall we end the class here?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The children shouted as they raised their cute fists like small egg potatoes. * * * Lunch time after class. Today¡¯s menu was warm lamb stew, soft cream bread, and colorful strawberries and blueberries. ¡°Annette! After all, isn¡¯t group class with kids fun?¡± On the other side, Sasha, who was eating blueberries till her lips were stained purple, asked me. ¡®You are a child too. Sasha.¡¯ ¡°Classes by age are difficult. They teach me difficult things every day¡­¡± I replied heartily to the sullen Sasha. ¡°I didn¡¯t find it difficult.¡± ¡°Oh! Because Annette is smart!¡± The forest had a well-planned curriculum to nurture great trees. Basic etiquette so as to be adopted by a noble family, as well as history, culture, geography, alchemy, magic formula, etcetera. Fortunately, I was a model student and good at studying. ¡®Although, I have no awakening ability.¡¯ Of course, the most important thing in the forest was not studies, but abilites. Like me, I couldn¡¯t even be a ¡®Tree¡¯, I was just a ¡®Weed¡¯. That¡¯s how extras were. ¡°Instead, you have magic, Sasha. If you eat a lot of rice, your magic power will increase. So, let¡¯s eat.¡± ¡°Oh, really? Yes!¡± Persuaded by nonsense, Sasha began to eat bread. In the meantime, I secretly wrapped the cream bread in a handkerchief and laughed slyly. ¡®Hehe. I should bring this to the baby.¡¯ By now, Sislin would be in the cave without a single light. When I thought of that scene, my heart ached. In the novel, he was a terrible maniac, but in reality, he was just a lonely and sick boy. ¡®Besides, he was much cuter than expected!¡¯ Just like the first time I saw young Heinrich in the forest, I fell in love with young Sislin. ¡®The future should be bright for both of them.¡¯ So, my current goal could be summarized in two. 1. Make Sislin comfortable in the forest just like the other children. 2. Get Heinrich and Sislin to get along. ¡®If they get to know each other when they were young, wouldn¡¯t there be zero catastrophes in the future?¡¯ Could this waste turn into sweet water? I smiled and pleasantly imagined. * * * That night. I sneaked into the kitchen and knocked on the counter. Tok! Tdok-dok, tok! This rhythmic knock was a secret hand signal that Sislin and I recently created. We had become pretty friendly lately, to the extent we made this. Of course, this was due to my constant effort. I brought Sislin food every day, and talked to him, who was blunt and gave short answers¡­ etcetera. ¡®It was a time of hardship.¡¯ But fortunately, he seemed to have opened up a little bit of his heart. Very little. Like an ant poop. Shortly after the hand signal was heard, a young wolf-like boy cautiously emerged from the lower cabinet. Through his thick black hair, his pretty eyes gleamed like rubies. ¡°Annette.¡± ¡°Sislin!¡± My face suddenly brightened. I ran quickly and held out the cream bun in my hands. ¡°Do you like this? I brought it specially. I wanted to bring two, but there was no bread left today. I¡¯ll definitely bring two next time. Come on, eat!¡± I chattered out of joy, but somehow, Sislin was strange. He did not even eat the bread he had received and he was sweating. ¡®Why are you doing that?¡¯ When I looked closely, his ankles were all red and the flesh was so torn that I could see the bones. For a moment, my heart pounded. ¡°¡­Aren¡¯t you hurt? How did you get hurt?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s nothing.¡± Sislin tried to hide the wound by pulling down his short pants. ¡°It¡¯s nothing? Doesn¡¯t it hurt?¡± ¡°No. It doesn¡¯t hurt.¡± Lies. Even with those legs, did he come crawling because I called him? ¡®Definitely. He was caught in the trap set by Madam Mimosa.¡¯ My heart ached at the thought that he must have suffered alone. He didn¡¯t want to get hurt, so he hid from the world¡­ But you got hurt again, Sislin. ¡®It is a hellish fate¡­¡¯ Sislin. As with the main characters in novels, Sislin had a past that was as twisted as Heinrich¡¯s. His mother descended from the Mephisto family with ancient demonic powers. The emperor, Sislin¡¯s father, loved her deeply, and the two had a child. Some of Mephisto¡¯s children were born with a ¡®dark ability¡¯, and it was a rare and powerful ability that could only come out over several generations. However, this ability was also a curse in itself. It made daily life difficult by making the senses heightened, and instead of giving one a strong power, the devil played a prank and threw the child into a mountain prison. It was not known whether that statement was true, but for one thing, Sislin¡¯s childhood was unhappy. His mother was murdered, and he himself was secretly abandoned. After that, he came to the forest after undergoing numerous events such as a circus troupe, being abused, and a slave auction. ¡®The child¡¯s eyes are too deep and dark.¡¯ He must have lived in an environment where it was impossible to say that he was sick. As I thought about it again, my hands grew tense. ¡°Sorry. Annette.¡± As if it was the boy¡¯s own personal sunset, the red jewel-like eyes headed towards the floor. ¡°Angry. I make people angry.¡± ¡°¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t answer anything, so I held my breath for a moment. ¡®It¡¯s not that he was bad, it¡¯s the adults who got angry enough to be disheartened by an 11-year-old that were bad.¡¯ ¡°Sislin, I¡¯m not angry.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± ¡°Yes. I will only say nice things to you!¡± I smiled brightly. Sislin asked as if he could not understand. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re pretty?¡± Speaking slightly brazenly, Sislin looked at me with red eyes between strands of black hair. Then, along with a faint smile, he let out a soft voice. ¡°You are the pretty one, Annette.¡± Chapter 3 For a moment, it felt like my face was going red for some reason, so I countered it with gibberish. ¡°¡­What? I¡¯m not pretty at all. It¡¯s weird.¡± ¡°You¡¯re pretty.¡± ¡°There¡¯s really nothing you can¡¯t say.¡± Even a common comment made my heart flutter when a ¡®Gwanggong¡¯ said it. Even though he¡¯s 11 years old! (T/N: ?? Gwanggong is a type of character that usually appears in BL. These days, regardless of genre, it has become widely used as a term to call characters who are madly obsessed with their relationships.) Of course, Annette, whom I possessed, was very pretty. Blonde hair shining sweetly like honey. A girl with bright green eyes as fresh as a sprout in spring. However, Sislin did not seem to simply mean that my face was pretty. So, what did he mean¡­ It sounded very sweet. To the point where my heart was tickled. Hmm! Embarrassed for nothing, I cleared my throat and got up from my seat. ¡°Where?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll bring you some medicine to fix your leg!¡± To be exact, I was going to steal it. To be able to make me, known as the best model student in the Forest, steal. It was all because he looked cute. But considering it was my first time, it seemed that I had a gift for stealing. Without anyone knowing, I sneaked into the infirmary and I really succeeded in stealing the healing potion. I rubbed my nose and felt proud of myself for nothing. ¡®My awakening ability might be strengthened.¡¯ Of course, if I got caught by Madam Mimosa like this, I would become powder. Madam Mimosa was the woman in charge of the Forest, and although she was usually kind, she became very strict when the Trees violated the rules. Not only that, but she was also ruthless enough to use a trap to catch Sislin. Of course, it must have been a decision made under the judgment that if she left him alone in the cave, he would die. ¡®Still, not everyone can set a trap for a child.¡¯ It meant she was not an ordinary person. I lowered and made myself as small as possible, and passed the hallway quietly like a hamster stealing seeds. ¡°Sislin, I brought it!¡± Kneeling in front of the waiting boy, I opened the potion without hesitation and poured it on his ankle. Then something amazing happened. New flesh quickly sprouted out in front of my eyes, the exposed bones were hidden, and the wound healed without a trace. ¡°Wow¡­!¡± ¡®I¡¯m so happy¡­ In the original story, he missed the treatment period and became limp.¡¯ It was only later when he was reinstated in the royal family that he was treated by the priests and healed. But that was after having suffered numerous injuries throughout his childhood due to his leg. Now Sislin didn¡¯t have to go through that¡­ I felt proud because I felt like I had protected the little boy in front of me. I asked with a smile. ¡°It really doesn¡¯t hurt, now?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Sislin nodded calmly, but appeared to be a little moved. ¡°It really doesn¡¯t hurt.¡± When I saw that figure, I felt like my stomach was full for no reason, so a smile came out of my mouth. This was good. Holding the boy¡¯s hands tightly together, I said, ¡°Sislin, you can¡¯t keep living in a cave, can you?¡± Originally, I planned to monitor the movement of Madam Mimosa and move Sislin at a safer time¡­ After what happened today, I decided that he could no longer be left alone in danger. ¡°Do you want to come with me?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I smiled brightly, shaking a blanket. * * * Sneakily, with cat-like steps, we went out into the hallway. Sislin, covered in white blanket from head to toe like a ghost, grabbed my hand and followed me. ¡°Stuffy.¡± ¡°¡­Shh! Be patient.¡± Walking around at dawn was a violation of the rules. ¡®If she catches us, both of us will die.¡¯ In particular, Sislin had already broken more than 7 rules. It was obvious that the stern Madam Mimosa would relentlessly pick up the rod and discipline him. ¡®Now he has barely opened his heart¡­¡¯ If he went through something like that, there would be no turning back. Maybe he wouldn¡¯t want to get out of the cave forever. Since the trap had already become useless because of me, a more terrifying method would emerge next time. Perhaps a cruel method that was not even in the original. ¡®Ugh, I don¡¯t even want to imagine!¡¯ ¡®We won¡¯t be caught.¡¯ However, Sislin suddenly stopped walking. I grabbed his hand and whispered urgently. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Let¡¯s go quickly.¡± But it was then. A voice that was cold enough to slice my head off flew from behind my back. ¡°You two there. Where are you going, sneaking around like a mouse in the middle of the night?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± In an instant, my heart almost exploded. I turned around slowly in a cold sweat. At the end of the dark hallway, Madam Mimosa stood, holding a sharp whip and a hellfire-like lamp. ¡°It¡¯s Annette.¡± Madam Mimosa walked slowly toward us, who had hardened like ice, and lit the area around us up with the lamp, followed the area around the ghostly blanket-covered Sislin. Her golden eyes under the bright red blonde hair looked down at us coolly. Some saliva sprayed slightly as she spoke. ¡°Annette, what¡¯s a model student like you doing? You must be well aware that walking around at dawn like this is against the rules.¡± ¡°Hello, Madam.¡± I barely greeted her as I usually do. ¡°Who is this child?¡± Madam Mimosa swept the scary whip with her palms, and glanced up and down once, up and down at the ghost covered with a blanket. Then she slowly lifted the end of the white blanket with a stick. At that moment, I shouted while hugging Sislin. ¡°It¡¯s Haley!¡± Haley was a 9-year-old child, fearful of ghosts, who lived together in the Forest. ¡°Haley needed a break at dawn, but couldn¡¯t go to the bathroom. She¡¯s afraid of ghosts, so I¡¯m going with her.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°If she dresses up like a ghost like this, the ghost will think he is its friend and pass her by. Right, Haley¡± I said to Sislin with a smile. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Sislin, covered with a blanket, nodded slowly. ¡®Please eat it up.¡¯ I smiled at Madam Mimosa with the face of an innocent, well-spoken model student. Madam Mimosa looked at me with sharp eyes without saying a word, as if trying to determine the truth for a moment. It felt as if the cold gaze from those golden eyes was stabbing the back of my head like an arrow. Thankfully, the harsh whip was soon lowered. Softly, the blanket came down to Sislin¡¯s ankles again. ¡°Next time, make sure you go to the bathroom before bedtime.¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯ll take care of him, Madam.¡± Only after hearing my gentle affirmation did Madam Mimosa turn back. It was only after her figure had completely disappeared that the power slowly drained from her body. ¡°Whew¡­¡± ¡®I almost died.¡¯ If I hadn¡¯t prepared an excuse just in case and had Sislin wear a blanket, it would have been a disaster. ¡®She believes that I am a model student.¡¯ I wondered again how Madam Mimosa would react when she found out that I stole the potion and hid Sislin. It was something I didn¡¯t want to imagine for too long. * * * ¡°Stay here for a while.¡± I brought Sislin to an unused room in the mansion. It was originally a bedroom, but as the number of students decreased, it became an empty room. There, the bedding I brought and food that can be eaten for a relatively long time (dried meat, dried fruit, bread, etcetera) were prepared.(T/N: This, and all subsequent brackets within sentences are in the raws.) ¡°¡­Here.¡± ¡°This is your room, Sislin. No one will come in here.¡± I lit the candles. It wasn¡¯t proper lighting, but it created quite an atmosphere. ¡°I¡¯ll bring you some new clothes tomorrow.¡± How pretty would he be if he wore clean clothes? He was pretty even when he¡¯s dirty like this. ¡®I want to bring him back to the Forest right now.¡¯ Then there would be no need to hide, and he could enjoy quality food and sleep. He could also make friends. ¡®But it¡¯s still too much.¡¯ The reason was ¡®water trauma¡¯. Sislin was afraid of water. Because he was being bullied so badly in his previous place (to the point that he couldn¡¯t even speak with his own mouth), fear was imprinted to the point that he couldn¡¯t even wash himself properly. He was afraid that if he put water in the washbasin, someone would grab his head and press it down. But Madam Mimosa would not understand his pitiful situation. ¡®He would be beaten harshly for breaking the rules.¡¯ Because it was like that in the original. So I had to prepare at least that in advance before he could join the Forest. ¡®I am still thinking about how to help him overcome the water trauma, but¡­¡¯ Sislin, who was checking the room, quietly asked me, while I was meditating on this and that. ¡°Did you prepare all this?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Why? What did he mean by ¡®why¡¯? ¡°Why are you being nice to a dirty boy like me, Annette?¡± Sislin had a genuinely incomprehensible expression. Like a child who had never been favored in his life. For a moment, the dark shadow in the boy¡¯s red eyes made his heart ache. ¡°Someone who is so nice to me¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°There was none.¡± My heart pounded at Sislin¡¯s belated, very soft mumble. It was as if I had seen a section of the world this boy lived in, which was bound to be hell due to the curse of Mephisto. I smiled as I patted Sislin¡¯s head softly. ¡°Now, only good things will happen.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± His red eyes flickered quietly. Like a bare branch brushed by the warm spring wind. ¡°Go to bed early today, I have to go back now. If I am gone too long, I will be suspected, right?¡± While walking through the door, I belatedly looked back on him. ¡°Yes! Tomorrow, I will introduce a really important person.¡± I smiled broadly. * * * Sislin, who was left alone, rested his hand on the bed Annette had been sitting on. With the tip of his finger, he felt the warmth left by the girl. It was his first time. To receive such a favor and kindness¡­ In the dark and lonely universe where no one was there, a small star seemed to have twinkled and rose. Only one star was so bright and pretty. When Annette, with her hair sweet as honey, smiled warmly like the spring sun, Sislin kept wanting to be a great person just as she said. ¡°Now, only good things will happen.¡± That sweet whisper¡­ Thoughtful touch and smile. Everything about the girl remained like a clear fingerprint on his lonely heart. Lowering his long eyelashes, the boy tried to pronounce her name softly with his red, parted lips. ¡°¡­¡­Annette.¡± It was a name that made the tip of the tongue sweet after calling it for some reason. * * * I woke up early in the morning. Today was the day Heinrich returned to the Forest after two weeks of ¡®socialization training¡¯. I ate dinner and sneaked out, diligently de-staining and polishing the Sislin until Heinrich returned. That picky chihuahua looked at Sislin and said, ¡°Dirty.¡± In other words, so as not to set up the future ¡®shackles¡¯ or ¡®ruin¡¯ flag. ¡®First impression is important¡­ First impression.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t wash him up with water, but I was able to brush his teeth, wipe him meticulously with a wet towel, and comb his hair. ¡®¡­Oh my god. Just by doing that, he smells good?!¡¯ Sniff, sniff. I put my nose towards Sislin and sniffed him. ¡°Nonsense. This is a Gwanggong buff.¡± ¡°¡­What is a Gwanggong?¡± At Sislin¡¯s innocent question, I hurriedly said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing¡± and gave him new clothes. Sinlin changed into new clothes and looked like a soft baby beast. ¡®Heuk. My heart.¡¯ Now, he would never, never, ever say something like ¡®dirty¡¯! After a while¨C Heinrich looked at Sislin suspiciously. I introduced them confidently. ¡°It¡¯s a new friend! Say hello, Heinrich.¡± ¡®Fufu. He isn¡¯t dirty, right?¡¯ ¡°¡­¡± Heinrich slowly looked at the boy with his characteristic arrogant eyes, then stood tall, and as he was looking¡ª he stopped. At the hands of Sislin and I that were tightly held together. Soon, Heinrich contorted his forehead and shook his head. ¡°He¡¯s dirty. Savage.¡± ¡®¡­It looks like it¡¯s ruined.¡¯ Chapter 4 * * * Socialization training. This was training meant to help Trees who lived only in the Forest adapt to the outside world, and it usually started after they had awakened their abilities. However, it was also a place to showcase products before they were sold to noble families. Today, Heinrich participated in the salon where the highest nobles of the Axelferion Empire gathered. The silver-haired Heinrich, who wore a children¡¯s frock coat and a luxurious shirt, had a lovely appearance. ¡°You are a very beautiful boy. Do you possess a lot of magic?¡± The Marquis of Hilberg, with a swallow¡¯s mustache, looked at Heinrich and asked. ¡°Heinrich is the only special level 1 Tree in our forest, Marquis.¡± The socialization manager of the trees, Julius, responded very politely. But there was a sense of pride that could not be hidden in his tone and expression. ¡°His magical potential is so powerful that it is difficult for his young body to control it. That¡¯s why he wears this magic suppressor.¡± Suddenly, Julius put his hand on the earring, and Heinrich slightly flinched and shifted his head. Annoyance flashed across his face for a moment, but it was only for a moment. In the salon, Heinrich, strangely, did not frown once. As if faithful to the role of ¡®a good and talented child¡¯. ¡°Very interesting, very interesting¡­ He¡¯s the perfect age to be the youngest in our family.¡± Heinrich seemed to like him so much, so Marquis Hilberg gently stroked the boy¡¯s head. ¡°¡­¡± Henrich didn¡¯t answer. Instead, he quietly accepted his hand and smiled. * * * ¡°This is unfortunate. Damn it!¡± Heinrich, who came out of the salon and got into the carriage, let the temper he had been holding back explode. As if tired, the boy placed the back of his hand on his forehead and closed his eyes. ¡°Why did you touch me?¡± He really hated being touched by anyone. Only one person¡¯s touch was allowed by the boy. Annette. ¡°I feel tired. Let¡¯s go back to the Forest right now.¡± Julius smiled softly as he looked at the boy with deep blue eyes under long blond hair. ¡°There is still one place left, Heinrich.¡± ¡°I showed up here and there like a beast in a pet shop for two weeks! I am exhausted.¡± Unlike the other children in the forest, Heinrich had a lot of nobles who were interested in him. Trees were classified into 9 levels according to their awakening ability, but Heinrich was currently the only level 1 tree. That was not all. He was also a special level 1, with the emphasis on ¡®special¡¯. A higher level means higher potential. The nobles, of course, wanted the most talented child to be their trophy. ¡°I told you the schedule wasn¡¯t over yet, Heinrich.¡± Julius smiled softly, but there somehow seemed to be a threat. Heinrich¡¯s breathing, which was rough like a cat that had touched the water, became quiet. Instead, the boy gently lifted his eyelids. The purple eyes shone brightly from the thin folds. The boy whispered softly. ¡°Is it okay if I get hurt?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Julius¡¯s expression stiffened for a moment. What memory did he recall? The last socialization training that ended in blood. He was the one who felt extreme shame from the situation that ruined the precious first-level financial resources. Julius¡¯ face softened again. ¡°¡­If you don¡¯t like it that much, there¡¯s nothing I can do about it.¡± Then he looked straight ahead and said to the driver. ¡°The destination is the Forest. Let¡¯s just go back.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± At that moment, along with the driver¡¯s loud answer, the sound of horse hooves erupted with ease. The boy rolled his eyes from the back seat with a tired face. ¡®Annette, I miss you.¡¯ It was the first time he hadn¡¯t seen her in such a long time since he got to know her. The last two weeks have been such a terrible time. Tired and exhausted, Heinrich wanted to do just one thing as soon as he returned to the forest. To hold Annette in his arms and smell her. It was Heinrich¡¯s favorite thing to do. However¨C Returning to the forest after two weeks, Heinrich witnessed a shocking sight. Annette was holding the hand of a dirty boy. It wasn¡¯t right. The feeling of betrayal was as if he fought a two-year war with blood, sweat and tears, only to return and discover his wife had an affair and was holding another man¡¯s hand. Although, he was only an 11-year-old child. And it wasn¡¯t even a war, he was only half the height of a grown man. Anyway, Annette laughed so brightly in such a serious situation. ¡°It¡¯s a new friend! Say hello, Heinrich.¡± Heinrich¡¯s inner self made another sort of face. ¡®¡­Friend? Who wants to be friends?¡¯ ¡®What a beast-like bastard.¡¯ He just felt bad upon meeting the red eyes under the black hair. It must have been dirty in the first place, but it feels bad to just wipe it off and pretend it¡¯s dry. Unlike his beanpod view of Annette, Sislin did not live up to Heinrch¡¯s standard of hygiene.(T/N: ¡®??¡¯ beanpod is a symbol of human¡¯s eyes due to its size. Covered by bean pods meant he can¡¯t see anything as he¡¯s blinded by love.) Though he wasn¡¯t dirty or even unclean¡­ Heinrich frowned. He was just jealous of the two of them holding hands. ¡°It¡¯s dirty. Savage.¡± * * * Squeak. Suddenly, a loud sound rang in my ear. It was the sound of Heinrich raising his doom flag. ¡®It¡¯s worse than dirty!¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s even worse than the original?!¡¯ I couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡®How can you say such a thing to such a cute baby?¡¯ I looked at Sislin with trembling pupils (probably fully covered by bean pods). Then I said to Heinrich with an almost teary face. ¡°¡­You can¡¯t say such bad things, Heinrich.¡± Such a scary mouth. Even in the original story, Heinrich¡¯s attitude and way of speaking was always rude and arrogant, which always stimulated Sislin and caused even more ruin. When I read it as a novel, to be honest, I really liked characters of that kind. I was drawn to arrogant and rude characters. But¨C It was hard to see my favorite steadily earning ¡®future pain¡¯ right in front of my eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not friends with filthy bastards.¡± Ah. Please, stop it. But that damned chihuahua didn¡¯t know how to kill his temper. Only Heinrich was smirking; then finally, he approached and pushed Sislin. ¡°My sister is mine, go away.¡± ¡°Heinrich!¡± I thought about it and stopped him. During this time, Heinrich pretty much monopolized me in the Forest. It was always my responsibility to take care of Heinrich, who was particularly sensitive and picky and had the tendency to hide his face from everyone. Was that why? Heinrich looked like an angry boss cat seeing a new cat coming into his territory. Since it was Sislin, who had low self-esteem and was an introvert, he would probably be shocked by Heinrich¡¯s behavior. ¡®I can¡¯t¡­¡¯ However, my expectations and Sislin¡¯s reaction were completely different. Sislin wasn¡¯t pushed back, rather he held my hand tighter and looked at Heinrich. Then he asked quietly, blinking his ruby-red eyes. ¡°Why is Annette yours?¡± ¡°¡­¡± When Sislin asked the question too calmly, for a moment, Heinrich seemed to be speechless, unlike his usual confident self. ¡°¡­That, that!¡± Heinrich¡¯s ears turned red. ¡°Because I¡¯m going to marry Sister when I grow up!¡± I was surprised when I heard it. I didn¡¯t agree to that! Sislin looked at Heinrich motionlessly no matter how much he ¡®nyan-nyanged¡¯ in front of him.(T/N: likening him to a hissing cat.) Then he calmly responded. ¡°Usually, sisters and brothers can¡¯t get married to each other.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Heinrich¡¯s purple eyes blinked in shock. He blinked as if there had been a brief cognitive dissonance. Then he hurriedly grabbed my sleeve and asked seriously. ¡°Sister, is that true? If I call you sister, we won¡¯t be able to get married?¡± ¡°¡­Uh, well.¡± I shifted my eyes in embarrassment. ¡®Children, do you think that¡¯s the only reason we can¡¯t get married?¡¯ When I didn¡¯t give a clear answer, Heinrich turned the arrow, hurriedly pointing at Sislin with his index finger. ¡°But why doesn¡¯t that bastard call you Sister? He must be younger than 12!¡± In the woods, my age, 12, was the oldest. I was only ten fingers plus two, but I was the oldest here. And Sislin and Heinrich were 11 years old each. ¡®Hmm, that protest is justified.¡¯ He just called me Annette, and I enjoyed hearing it, so I left it alone¡­ If you insist on such injustice¡­ For the sake of peace, this part needs to be sorted out. ¡°Heinrich is right. It would be better for Sislin to call me ¡®sister¡¯.¡± Sislin looked at me with his red eyes through black hair. Then, he gently buried his head that smelled good on my shoulder and closed his eyes. He whispered in a voice sweet as a ripe berry, his face blushing. ¡°Sister¡­¡± In an instant, my face glowed like cherry candy. Crazy, he would seduce all the ¡®noonas¡¯ in the world. ¡®So cute. Our baby.¡¯ Heinrich, who had been looking at him, finally sat down on his seat and burst out in anger. ¡°¡­Hey, just call her the way you used to!!!¡± * * * I managed to soothe Heinrich, who was not able to overcome his temper, and sent him down to the living room. He made a fuss when parting with me, till I said, ¡°I¡¯ll put you to bed today, I promise.¡± Heinrich particularly liked the way I put him to sleep, so he asked me over and over again, ¡°Really?¡± Then he looked back and left the room like a cat leaving behind a delicious fish. ¡°Whew¡­¡± I thought that something great had happened. I pat Sislin¡¯s shoulder and whisper. ¡°He talks like that, but he has a good heart.¡± Even though he was mean towards you in the original. ¡°It¡¯s because there are so many wounds in his heart, like you, Sislin.¡± If he had only received love when growing up, he wouldn¡¯t have become such a jealous personality. I understand all of Heinrich¡¯s narrative, but from Sislin¡¯s point of view, he would view him as a very mean child. ¡®First impressions of each other turned out to be the worst. How do I go about doing this?¡¯ As I was thinking deeply, Sislin, who was still sitting in the chair, asked me. ¡°Annette¡­ Heinrich, do you like him? ¡°Yes.¡± In response to my answer that was without hesitation, Sislin slowly lowered his eyes and spoke with a darkened face. ¡°¡­I see.¡± It was then. Tachak¡ª A presence was heard outside the door. Uh, that¡¯s weird? The only people who knew about this room were me, Sislin, and Heinrich. Did Heinrich return? I walked slowly, opened the door, and looked out into the hallway. Shasha-sak¡ª Then I quickly saw a shadow spinning around the corner of the hallway, and I swallowed my saliva. ¡°Heinrich?¡± No reply returned. ¡®This is not a place to stay for long.¡¯ No matter how spacious the mansion was, there were surprisingly little places to hide. There were a lot of children and there were a lot of eyes, so if you stayed in one place for a long time, you could be caught at any time. It had only been a few days, but it would be safer to move. ¡®In three days, I have to decide where to hide Sislin.¡¯ I thought further and quickly shook my head. ¡®No. The sooner the better¡­ Yes, we¡¯re moving tomorrow.¡¯ Chapter 5 But unfortunately we didn¡¯t have that much time. After a while, someone visited our secret hideout. Like a raptor before snatching up its prey with its claws, she said with her golden eyes twinkling. ¡°You were hiding in such a place like a mouse?¡± It was Madam Mimosa¡ª! My small heart pounded and fell to the floor. It felt like all the blood was rushing out of my toes. ¡°Annette. It¡¯s really disappointing.¡± ¡°¡­Madam.¡± Madam Mimosa spoke coolly while holding a sharp whip. ¡°I trusted you because you were an exemplary student who never caused problems.¡± Gulp. My throat was dry because of the tension. Panic seemed to come when the worst situation I had imagined in my head became a reality. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Sislin was also scared, and his breath quickened. Because he had already been severely punished by Madam Mimosa. ¡®What should I do? We shouldn¡¯t have been caught now.¡¯ He hadn¡¯t overcome his water trauma yet, and there was no way to naturally return to the Forest. If things went on like this, he would get beaten¡­£¡ What would happen next was obvious. Sislin, who barely opened his heart a little, would retreat into the cave again and the situation would get much worse. Madam Mimosa looked around the hideout and hit the furniture with the end of the whip. ¡°You stole all the furniture here, too. Sislin¡­ What a rude thing to do.¡± Upon her cold gaze, I was surprised and shouted as I hid Sislin behind my back. ¡°It¡¯s not Sislin¡¯s fault. I did that!¡± ¡°Annette. I know you care about the Trees, but you shouldn¡¯t embrace them unconditionally.¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you the truth, Madam. Trust me¡­ please.¡± ¡°Sislin has already broken eight rules. I cannot forgive him.¡± Ahhh¡­ It increased by one because of me. ¡°At first, he complained that he didn¡¯t want to wash and ran into the cave. Do you know how worried the teachers were? ¡­How often did I emphasize the need to abide by the rules?¡± In the Forest, severe corporal punishment followed a problem child. ¡°Get out of my way.¡± Unsurprisingly, Madam Mimosa pushed me by the shoulder and swung a sharp whip towards Sislin. Wheeik! Ouch, that! That whip must hurt a lot¡­!!! At that moment, I hugged Sislin tightly, showing my back instead, and shouted. ¡°Sislin isn¡¯t complaining, he is afraid of the water!¡± Madam Mimosa¡¯s rod stopped in mid-air for an instant. But still, the strict blonde seemed unwilling to forgive. ¡°Annette, whatever the reason, the fact that Sislin broke the rules doesn¡¯t change.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t get out of the way, I will have no choice but to punish you together.¡± As a young child, an adult with a sharp whip was too frightening. However, I couldn¡¯t back off. Because of the trauma, Sislin was shaking like a dog that had been in the rain all day, and I could feel that trembling in my arms. I was trembling and scared too¡­ I held him tight and squeezed my eyes before opening it up and looked at her straight. ¡°I will take responsibility and fix him, Madam.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make him into a Sislin that washes well, doesn¡¯t run away, and obeys the rules!¡± I put in a condition. ¡°If I fail¡­ I will also receive corporal punishment along with Sislin.¡± Perhaps Madam Mimosa read my determination as her eyebrows rose sharply. There was cold suspicion and a little interest in that expression. ¡°Sislin has always had trouble adapting to the Forest, is that possible?¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± I nodded with clear eyes. ¡°If he is being scolded now, he will be more afraid and hide. Madam knows.¡± Suddenly, there was a slight crack in Madam Mimosa¡¯s cold expression. She actually knew it too. That she would take a long time to solve it with corporal punishment. ¡°I¡¯ll give you three days.¡± ¡®3 days is too short¡­¡¯ However, there did not appear to be any room for negotiation otherwise. ¡®I¡¯m going to make it work no matter what.¡¯ I stopped worrying and nodded with determined eyes. ¡°Yes, Madam. I promise you.¡± Only then did Madame Mimosa gather the whip. It was a relief. ¡°Clean up this room and bring Sislin back to the living room.¡± Hehe, I succeeded in persuasion! ¡°But Annette will have to skip dinner for three days as a punishment for breaking the rules. As for Sislin¡­¡± Madam Mimosa continued speaking after glancing at Sislin¡¯s skinny limbs. ¡°I should replenish his nutrients quickly.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam!¡± I had to starve, but I could bear it. If only the baby would be safe. After hearing my clear reply, the madam finally went out of our hideout. ¡°Whew¡­¡± My relaxed body drooped like a stuffed teddy bear. At that moment, Sislin, who was in my arms, also raised his head quietly. The boy¡¯s anxiety was etched in his red ruby-like eyes. ¡°Annette.¡± I gently stroked the little head of his. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯ll turn out okay. Sislin.¡± And I smiled softly. * * * I stayed with Sislin for a while as he was anxious, and then went down to the living room. ¡®I don¡¯t know if that is actually better.¡¯ When he returned to the Forest, he would be able to sleep and eat delicious food. First of all, I was fortunate enough to pass today without being beaten. The problem was to help Sislin overcome his water trauma within the tight time frame of 3 days¡­ ¡®Let¡¯s study some methods.¡¯ I was sure he could overcome it. Good! Let¡¯s cheer up! I was filled with positive energy and opened the living room door. The children, who were lying on the small beds one by one, smiled broadly at me and waved their short arms. ¡°Annette!¡± ¡°Sister! Sister, hey~¡± ¡°It¡¯s a little bit cold today. Achoo!¡± Julien, who had fluffy blond hair and big eyes as blue as a lake, sneezed, and snot came out. ¡°Huh? It¡¯s because you left the windows open. Guys, you¡¯re going to catch a cold. Let¡¯s close the windows!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The children answered brightly and closed the windows hard. I rubbed my nose. I felt like I had become an undisputed ruler. Hmm, as expected, being 12 years old is thrilling, it¡¯s the best. I wiped Julien¡¯s runny nose and went to Heinrich¡¯s bed. ¡°¡­¡± Heinrich sat facing the wall. With a sullen look on his face. It was something he did when he was upset about something. Heuk, cute little boy! ¡°Heinrich.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Where did our kind Heinrich go?¡± I looked for Heinrich pretending not to see him, even though he was clearly in front of me. I could see Heinrich cheeks shaking like soft bean cakes. Then he opened his mouth sullenly. ¡°I heard you were punished and had to skip dinner? ¡­I don¡¯t care if I eat that or not.¡± When someone was being punished, the content was posted on the bulletin board, and it seemed that he had read it already. There was soft bread in the place Heinrich pointed to. Kkeuk¨C Seeing the bread made me very, very hungry. It felt like it melted in your mouth when I took a big bite. I spoke with wonky pronunciation, my cheeks full of bread. ¡°It¡¯s so delicious, Heinrich.¡± ¡°¡­If I knew you¡¯d like it, I would threaten to kill the guy in charge of the bread and rip more from him.¡± ¡°Ah. You can¡¯t do such a bad thing!¡± ¡°Let me sleep. Sleepy. ¡± When I tried to scold him, Heinrich quickly changed his attitude and whined. I ate the bread bit by bit and covered Heinrich with a blanket up to his chest as he laid on the bed. Then I patted his chest. Like a cat basking in its owner¡¯s touch, Heinrich¡¯s purple eyes quickly became docile. At times like this, he was such an angel. My heart became soft like pudding for a while, and I asked a question that was on my mind the whole time. ¡°Heinrich, be honest with me. The room with Sislin, did you say it¡­? That hideout, you and I. Only we knew about Sislin.¡± ¡°What? It can¡¯t be!¡± Heinrich¡¯s eyes rose like a naughty cat. ¡°But Sister hates bad kids so much?¡± What I clearly saw in the hallway of the hideout was the shadow of a child. If it was not Heinrich, then who came? ¡®Who the hell is that?¡¯ I looked around the living room with suspicious eyes. However, it could not be determined which child it would have been. ¡­There was no kid who didn¡¯t like me. Would it continue to interfere with future plans? I had to fix Sislin¡¯s water trauma as soon as possible, return him to the Forest, and help him get along with Heinrich. All were essential for a happy future for my favorite, Heinrich, and Sislin, who became precious to me. So, the future was important. Even if there was someone trying to interfere, I could never stop. ¡®They had bad first impressions, but because of the nature of the children, if they play together often, they will get to know each other.¡¯ Of course, Heinrich was more jealous than I expected, but there was a way. I said while poking Heinrich¡¯s shoulder with my index finger. ¡°Heinrich, I like Heinrich the best. You know that, right?¡± It was the ¡®Mom gave birth to a younger brother, but still loves you¡¯ operation! As I smiled with clear eyes, Heinrich¡¯s cheeks instantly turned red like plums. ¡°¡­!¡± Heinrich, whose grumpy eyes became soft, closed his eyes. ¡°Hmph.¡± Then he said sternly. ¡°Of course.¡± I should have listened to his following words, but I couldn¡¯t hear it well because he was lying down. ¡°I like you the best too.¡± The whisper was so small and affectionate. ¡°¡­So you can¡¯t be taken by anyone.¡± * * * The next day. I created something in the morning and ran to the place where Sislin was. This was what I prepared for overcoming his water trauma. ¡°Voila!¡± It was a pink bar with a circle at the end. Sislin asked as he stared blankly at the rod. ¡°Annette¡­ What is that?¡± Chapter 6 I handed the rod to Sislin and grinned. ¡°For now, take this. I¡¯m not quite ready yet.¡± I pulled out a cute pink teddy bear-shaped bowl and started pouring water into it. Pouring¨C ¡®It¡¯s not like you¡¯re washing yourself in a bathtub. A washing basin would be okay, right?¡¯ ¡®Let¡¯s try washing his hands first. And when he gets better, he can slowly, little by little, take a bath in the bathtub.¡¯ ¡®The ultimate goal is to take a bathtub bath!¡¯ So it could be said that this was a great step. I poured soapy water into the wash basin to minimize the washing time. The shorter the painful time was, the better. Well, it¡¯s complete! ¡°Sislin! Wash your hands first¡­¡± When I looked back with a wide smile. ¡­I encountered it for the first time. Severely frightened eyes. It could be seen at a glance. What the boy was seeing wasn¡¯t just the water in the washbasin, but the dirty and crude hands that plunged his face into it. The monster-like strength that crushed the back of his head¡­ The sensation of soapy water pouring into his nose and mouth. The feeling of his lungs tightening and the experience of suffering that went to the point of death. ¡°¡­Sislin.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The boy trembled and closed his eyes. When I saw that figure, I felt pain as if I had been stabbed in the chest. ¡®More than I thought¡­ His trauma is much worse.¡¯ ¡°Sorry.¡± The boy barely apologized to me with his eyes closed. ¡°If I continue this, Annette will be scolded too¡­¡± Even in the face of instinctive fear, the boy thought of me first. I was even more saddened because his heart was beautiful. My eyes got wet with the agony, and I quickly wiped away my tears when Sislin was not looking. Then I quietly put the rod I had made into the washbasin and gently stirred it around. Whoo¨C As I exhaled into the pink circle, pretty soap bubbles flew through the air. Soap bubbles flew near the boy, touched his cheeks, and popped. ¡°¡­¡± It was then that he felt a sensation and carefully opened his eyes. ¡°Look at this, Sislin.¡± I smiled and put my hand back into the basin and stirred, then shot more bubbles. Whoosh¨C All of a sudden, Sislin was staring at the soap bubbles in amazement. ¡°Isn¡¯t it pretty?¡± The warm spring sun was shining through the open windows. In the dazzling feast of light, the soap bubbles shone brilliantly in five colors. The boy¡¯s innocent eyes followed the bubbles slowly. Then, gently licking his dry lips, he whispered softly. ¡°Yes. Pretty.¡± The boy said as he reached out his hand slowly towards the soap bubble. ¡°It¡¯s like a flower made of breath.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The expression was so beautiful that my heart fluttered. I dipped the rod in soapy water and handed it to Sislin. ¡°You do it too.¡± The boy hesitated a little, as if he was a little unfamiliar, and then carefully breathed into the circle. Like flowers blooming in the air, soap bubbles flew leisurely in the sky. ¡®He likes it. Look at that expression.¡¯ ¡®Ugh, my baby¡­¡¯ It was the first time he had ever played with such a toy. It was sad but cute, and I liked the way he looked, so I looked at Sislin and smiled. Then the door opened and small footsteps came in. ¡°Annette, play with me too!¡± It was Sasha. A cutie with big pink eyes and pink cotton candy-like hair swaying with every move. ¡°Sasha, how did you know I was here?¡± ¡°Julien said Annette went this way.¡± Sasha, who was not shy by nature, naturally squatted down next to me without being aware of Sislin. ¡°I want bubbles too!¡± ¡°Here.¡± I was fortunate to have made several rods. The three of us sat next to each other and started blowing bubbles. It was a peaceful and enjoyable time after a long time. Soap bubbles containing the breath of the three children flew around like a dream. Before I knew it, the soapy water in the teddy bear washbasin was almost all gone. I pointed at Sislin¡¯s hand and spoke softly. ¡°Sislin, you¡¯ve washed your hands?¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± The boy raised his hand and looked up at me in amazement. Indeed, while he was dipping his hands to get the remaining soapy water from the washbasin into the rod, his hands were thoroughly washed. He didn¡¯t even know it. I laughed softly. ¡°It wasn¡¯t difficult, was it?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Sislin nodded his small head with a little curiosity. I hoped only good things would happen to this boy in the future, I really hoped so. * * * The next day. I was doodling on a book in class, drawing Sislin¡¯s squishy hands. After playing with bubbles, Sislin practiced little by little on his own, and now he could wash his hands without difficulty. When I praised him, he washed his hands even more fiercely and showed me. ¡®Fufu, it¡¯s cute.¡¯ But apart from Sislin¡¯s cuteness, anger piled up inside. ¡®Poo¡­ What was it? Purala? I think it was this name. The human who brought the trauma to Sislin.¡¯ Of course, the name of the person might not be ¡®Purala¡¯. After all, he was a slave trader and an unscrupulous man who only saw humans as money. So, he must have caused such trauma to the child. ¡®It¡¯s a thing of the past, but I¡¯m still angry.¡¯ ¡°Bad guy.¡± I quietly cursed at him by myself. Of course, there was no way to get revenge now¡­ Regardless of my burning anger, the class was proceeding peacefully. The class now was ¡®Introduction to Summoning¡¯, and next to me was Sasha going ¡°Hyaak!¡± She was practicing the summoning technique diligently. Finally hugging, a little chick was summoned. ¡°Ah! Success!¡± ¡®It¡¯s okay.¡¯ ¡°Annette! Look at this!¡± ¡°Oh yes, that¡¯s really cool?¡± It was true that it was really cool. Because I couldn¡¯t even summon that trivial thing. ¡®¡­It¡¯s just an extra ability.¡¯ Peep, peep¨C I looked at the yellow chick with a bit of envy, then pretended to practice hard when the teacher came over here. ¡°Hya! Hyaak!¡± Of course, there was only air on the desk. Still, there was no teacher who didn¡¯t like a hardworking model student, hohoho. Not surprisingly, the teacher gently stroked my hair and left. After class was over, I officially announced the start of the ¡®Great Operation¡¯. ¡°Wait! Pay attention to this!¡± At the dignified voice of a 12-year-old, the little ones blinked their eyes, paying attention to me all at once. ¡°Who wants to have fun with me? Raise your hands!¡± Fists like little steamed buns rose above their heads. ¡°Wow, me!¡± ¡°Me too, me too!¡± Good. There were enough members. * * * In the garden in front of the mansion, there was a fountain where statues of angels blew their trumpets and released water. The little ones resembling the angel statues gathered together. I clapped my hands and said, ¡°Hey, are you all ready for a swim?¡± The children answered loudly. ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Team Raspberry has a raspberry-colored muffler, and Team Peanut has a peanut-colored muffler!¡± ¡®I purposely split them into two teams.¡¯ It was not for nothing that they were split into two teams. Here was my thorough calculation. ¡®Fufu, since you two are on the same team, you should hold hands and fight together, right?¡¯ I looked at Sislin and Heinrich with a happy expression. Red scarves were wrapped around the necks of the two little boys. Heinrich looked like he was not happy with the situation, while Sislin looked a little puzzled. Just like a baby beast thrown into a chick cage. ¡®Hmm, Sislin must be unfamiliar with this kind of game.¡¯ Playing with friends was unfamiliar to him, even more so for water play. ¡®¡­¡­If it¡¯s not the best result, it¡¯ll be the worst result.¡¯ If this was done well, his water trauma would be much better. What scared him would turn into an object of fun. ¡®But if it goes wrong¡­¡¯ In an already unfamiliar environment, his fear of water would only grow. If I had more time, I would have used a more moderate method than this. But with only two days left, I had to hurry it up a bit. ¡®Please, just help me once. Guys.¡¯ To help your friend overcome his fear of water. And give me strength just once. ¡®¡­Sislin.¡¯ I was nervous inside as I raised my hand vigorously. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get started!¡± ¡°Wow!¡± The children laughed and splashed water on each other and started to play. ¡°¡­¡± Sislin was looking around with a slightly confused expression. ¡®Oh, I was too impatient.¡¯ He was just like a lost child. I looked at him with a nervous heart. I wished someone sprinkled a little water on him! It was then. Heinrich filled a basin with water and poured it over Sislin. ¡°¡­!!!¡± ¡®Ahh! Heinrich!¡¯ That damn chihuahua was supposed to be on the same team! ¡°Kek, you idiot. You look good!¡± ¡°¡­Heinrich!¡± ¡®What am I going to do if Sislin is scared?¡¯ I hurriedly tried to stop Heinrich who was holding his stomach and laughing. Sislin stood still, drenched in water, motionless in his spot. ¡®He must have been surprised. Is it very scary?¡¯ Clearly, Sislin looked startled, bewildered, and frightened. However, it was only for a while. In an instant, he opened his axe-like eyes towards Heinrich. ¡®Ah, the baby beast is angry!¡¯ Sislin immediately filled the largest bucket with water and took revenge on Heinrich. ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°Ahh.¡± Heinrich fell backwards and blinked. He looked as stupid as a cat that fell into the water by mistake. Then, slowly, a ¡®sting¡¯ appeared in Heinrich¡¯s eyes. From then on, a war broke out between the two boys. Jwaaak, jwaak! Jwaak! Jwaaak! In the water play with great momentum, some kids stopped playing. I could only look around with my mouth open, saying, ¡®Haah¡­¡¯ After a while. Heinrich, who was exhausted, curled up on the lawn to catch his breath. ¡°Heh, hey, you damn bastard¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Sislin also took a deep breath with a tired face. Both boys looked like drowned mice. I burst into laughter while watching them. Then Julien, who had big sky blue eyes and sat next to me, laughed along. ¡°Ahaha!¡± From that moment on, all the children burst into laughter. The joyful sound of children¡¯s laughter broke brightly at the fountain where a rainbow appeared. ¡®Fortunately, the plan is a success.¡¯ I heard that there was a way to face the object of fear head-on to overcome trauma.(T/N: referring to shock therapy; but in real life, please seek a professional for this.) It was a success achieved in a similar way. Of course, Heinrich¡¯s help was great (though he didn¡¯t mean it at all). Huhu, these wonderful little ones. ¡®If this is the case, I will be able to keep my promise to Madam Mimosa tomorrow!¡¯ I was so sure of it, with the utmost pride. Until 10 minutes later, when an intruder showed up. Life definitely had twists. Chapter 7 It wasn¡¯t long before I heard the scream of Sislin, who had gone to the mansion to change into wet clothes. ¡°¡­!¡± I was startled and ran after the scream. As I turned the corner, I saw the silhouette of an adult grabbing the boy¡¯s clothes hard enough to tear it apart and pulling him away. ¡°Did you think that if you ran away, I wouldn¡¯t be able to find you? Because of you, I took on a lot of damage. You filthy bastard!¡± The gray eyes set in the yellowed whites gleamed with greed, and the slumped back¡­ He was a very strong man with dry hands like branches. With his unique appearance, words, and deeds, I was able to guess who he was. What was it? The name? Ah, at that moment, lightning struck my mind. ¡®Viscount Puterio!¡¯ It was the slave trader. A vicious human trader who brought water trauma to Sislin. Viscount Puterio was pulling and intimidating Sislin without any consideration as if he was a dog, pig or livestock. ¡°I¡¯ll scold you so that you don¡¯t run away again. You¡¯re my slave. My money!¡± Sislin just shook his head and trembled. As if learned fear had paralyzed his whole body. The moment I saw those red eyes, I became unbearably sad and angry. ¡°Let go of that hand now!¡± Viscount Puterio looked at me and frowned. ¡°Who do you think you are to disturb me! Go away before I slap you!¡± I opened my eyes and looked straight at him. ¡°Let go, now!¡± ¡°¡­How dare this young bitch have no fear!¡± Just then, when his strong hand was raised high to slap me on the cheek. ¡°Argh!¡± With a scream, Viscount Puterio struggled. Heinrich had bitten his arm with all his might. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about touching my sister, you filthy bastard!¡± ¡°These wretched children¡­!¡± It was when Viscount Puterio, who was furious, glared at Heinrich with a vengeful spirit. Tearing the noisy air, a cold voice flew in like an arrow. ¡°What the hell is this fuss?¡± Blonde hair tied perfectly, strict golden eyes. ¨CIt was Madam Mimosa. ¡°You¡¯re making loud noises in our Forest. It¡¯s unheard of in this mansion where children are growing up. Definitely.¡± Hmph, Viscount Puterio seemed to be at a loss for a moment at Madam Mimosa¡¯s frost-like momentum. However, thinking that he could not be pushed back this quickly, he straightened his coat collar and waist. ¡°I am Viscount Puterio, who came to find my ¡®lost item¡¯ on my way to visit Madam Iogre, who had requested an interview with my fugitive slave today!¡± Viscount Puterio pointed to the frightened Sislin. ¡°This little guy is mine, so I¡¯ll take him!¡± ¡°¡­Madam Mimosa.¡± I looked at Madam Mimosa, holding Sislin in my arms. With eyes desperately begging for help. Because she was the only guardian we had in this mansion. ¡®I can¡¯t let it go like this.¡¯ Moreover, to a wicked person who called a child a ¡®lost item¡¯. Madam Mimosa looked at us with an incomprehensible cold face, and opened her mouth towards Viscount Puterio. ¡°First, follow me inside.¡± Then she headed back into the mansion first. * * * ¡°He¡¯s a slave of my possession at ¡®Ferdes Slave Shop¡¯! But unfortunately, he ran away during the fire.¡± Viscount Puterio made a strong claim to Sislin. Looking at Viscount Puterio, I traced the memory of the original. ¡®He made money from the slave trade, so he bought himself a title.¡¯ Originally, he was just a commoner, but he was a very successful slave trader due to his know-how in business and his vicious heart that did not waver while buying and selling humans. With that capital, he bought the title of a fallen nobleman and was playing his role as a nobleman. However, it was clear that he could not buy dignity. ¡°That kid is originally mine, so I¡¯ll take him back!¡± Madam Mimosa responded unwaveringly to the reckless utterance. ¡°A child who becomes a Tree is protected by the Forest. You can¡¯t take him with you.¡± ¡°Then what about my money?! You¡¯re going to eat it raw?!¡± Sislin felt fear just hearing Viscount Puterio¡¯s voice, and trembled as he held my hands¡­ Madam Mimosa glanced at such a Sislin, and then opened her mouth. ¡°I¡¯ll pay for that child.¡± ¡®Oh, I¡¯m glad¡­¡¯ The cleanest solution was to send money to a human who came for money. It was clear that Madam Mimosa felt the same way. ¡°I¡¯ll give you 10 million gold.¡± Usually, the average price was 3 million gold for a young slave and 10 million gold for an adult. There was a price difference based on gender, health status, and origin, but it was a slight difference. The amount offered by Madam Mimosa was generously higher than the average market price. I could feel her will to get things done quickly without much fuss. But. ¡°Ha! Do you think I¡¯m easy to fool?¡± Beneath Viscount Puterio¡¯s green hair, his gray eyes glistened with greed. Biting his lips, he said, ¡°No less than 50 million gold!¡± ¡°¡­!!!¡± Nonsense! Like me, Madam Mimosa seemed a little perplexed. Her expressionless composure was slightly broken. ¡°Looking at you trying to send me away with 10 million gold, that ¡®Tree¡¯ must have a lot of value! Like he has an ¡®awakening ability¡¯ or something?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Viscount Puterio seems to have already known about the Forest. This was a secret nurturing institution, but secret stories had spread among the nobles. This vicious human who had an amazing sense for money was poised to take a solid amount. ¡°Did my stuff have that kind of value¡­ If I didn¡¯t know, I wouldn¡¯t know, but now that I know it, I can¡¯t pass it on at a cheap price.¡± Viscount Puterio giggled as if he was in a good mood. ¡°That child¡¯s ransom is 50 million gold, it can¡¯t be lower!¡± Madam Mimosa lowered her eyes and spoke quietly, ¡°¡­Then negotiations have broken down.¡± As if he had expected that, Viscount Puterio replied, ¡°This is the territory of Corel, so it would be right to follow the judgment of the lord, Marquis Corel, I request so! You better bring him tomorrow.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The two agreed to follow the judgment of Lord Corel about Sislin¡¯s residence tomorrow. Facing Madam Mimosa¡¯s face that was as cold as a piece of marble, Viscount Puterio smirked. * * * ¡®Stupid bitch, you don¡¯t even know what my relationship is with Marquis Corel.¡¯ Viscount Puterio was in the best mood. It was because he was confident in winning tomorrow¡¯s small trial. During his time as a slave trader, he often sold the finest ¡®things¡¯ to the Marquis of Corel for cheap. Marquis Corel then sold the slaves back to the vassals in his territory and profitted. ¡®Of course, the lord is sure to listen to me.¡¯ ¡®Tomorrow, that expensive slave will become my thing again. It has a rare awakening ability, so no matter who I sell it to, I will be able to receive 50 million gold.¡¯ In fact, the children of the Forest were worth much more than that, but Viscount Puterio didn¡¯t know that much. Viscount Puterio, who was in a good mood, looked at Sislin and licked his lips again, and Annette blocked his front. ¡°Don¡¯t look at him like that. Sislin is scared!¡± ¡°You¡¯re trying quite hard to protect your friend. Even so, your friend will be mine.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s something we don¡¯t know yet.¡± At Annette¡¯s bold remark, Viscount Puterio burst out laughing as if it was absurd. He was well aware of this kind. Life that was born like a bug; it wriggled and did everything. Still weak and young. ¡°You are the lives abandoned by your parents.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Two children froze at the same time at his abusive language. ¡°Normal children are born with love. But sometimes there are children who are just ¡®feces¡¯ of sexual desire.¡± His gray eyes flashed cruelly. ¡°Just like you.¡± Annette¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°So, whether you care about each other, love each other, or have any human feelings¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You are going to live a life that is sold like a commodity. A human like a bug who has no support for the rest of his life has no choice but to live like that.¡± Viscount Puterio rolled his eyes and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s very pitiful.¡± ¡°¡­¡± After saying that, Viscount Puterio got into the carriage, casting contemptuous glances at the two children embracing each other. Annette just stared blankly at the back of Viscount Puterio¡¯s carriage leaving the garden. Chapter 8 I quietly raised my middle finger before the carriage completely disappeared. ¡®He¡¯s talking nonsense.¡¯ If I had been really just a child, Viscount Puterio¡¯s abusive words would have left a scar deep enough to be a lifelong trauma. But was I not 12 years old with a past life? With the shield of my previous life, I was able to deflect such abusive language. ¡°Sislin, we need to wash our ears. You¡¯ve met a man who poops with his mouth.¡± I spoke bravely and wiped Sislin¡¯s ears with my hands. Clean. Squeak, squeak. ¡®But it¡¯s kind of weird.¡¯ The appearance of that man itself was strange. ¡®This was obviously an episode that wasn¡¯t in the original.¡¯ If it had happened in the original story, I would have been preparing for it¡­ No matter how much I looked back on my memories, there was no episode in which he visited the forest. But what happened had already happened, now it was best to find a solution. ¡®¡­The Marquis of Corel.¡¯ An extra in the original. I remembered him because he had a pretty unusual setting. ¡®He was a man with great health concerns. Even mysophobia.¡¯ Concerned about his health, he always stirred up the clinic, and he suffered from severe mysophobia in fear of getting sick. Even after shaking hands, he always changed his gloves, and he was a sensitive person who even had seizures due to anxiety. ¡®He and Viscount Puterio traded slaves a few times, maybe?¡¯ That was probably why Viscount Puterio did not leave the dispute resolution to the lord of Ferdes, where his workplace was located, but insisted on calling the lord of Corel in this region. ¡®If this is the case, there is no chance of winning tomorrow¡­¡¯ ¡°¡­Are you okay?¡± I stopped pondering for a moment and asked Sislin that question. Was it because he¡¯s wet? It was because I felt his body trembling like an aspen tree. Just looking at his terrified face made my heart ache. Suddenly, the viscount¡¯s abusive remarks came to mind again. ¡°Sometimes there are children who are just ¡®feces¡¯ of sexual desire.¡± ¡­How sick and tired of such cruel remarks must Sislin be. If I had been caught by a man whose tongue was as sharp as a sharpened blade, my self-esteem would have been scorched to the floor. Suddenly, I remembered what the boy had said when I first met him. ¡°I¡¯m a dirty kid.¡± ¡°If you talk to me, you¡¯ll get dirty too.¡± ¡­My heart throbbed and pounded as I expected what kind of abusive language he had been hearing. As I stroked the boy¡¯s back, he whispered softly. ¡°Is Annette okay?¡± Even in this situation, Sislin was worried about me. Even though he was shaking like this¡­ ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine too, Annette.¡± Sislin, you could say ¡®I was scared¡¯ when you were scared, and ¡®I¡¯m scared¡¯ when you are scared. It was okay for a child like you. I gently touched Sislin as if to soothe him. Then, the sullen Sislin said something unexpected. ¡°I¡¯d rather go back to the cave.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°If I¡¯m there, no one can take me.¡± Then I realized. Why did Sislin enter the cave? He was not hiding simply because his senses became sensitive. He believed that it was safe. A place out of reach of those who tormented him. He was rather comfortable in that narrow, dirty and lonely cave. My heart became heavy. ¡°No.¡± I said as I solemnly covered Sislin¡¯s cheek with both hands. ¡°I will never leave you alone in that dark place again.¡± ¡®Well, I just spoke like a Gwanggong.¡¯ ¡°Now you¡¯ll be together with me, Sisl.¡±(T/N: ¡®Sisl¡¯ is her nickname for him.) Pretty and red eyes like rubies shook. He asked back in a small voice. ¡°¡­Continuously together?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± As I smiled broadly, Sislin¡¯s ears turned red. The boy quietly bowed his head as if hiding his handsome face and answered. ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡®Ugh, it¡¯s cute.¡¯ I winked confidently. ¡°Yes, so just trust me!¡± * * * That afternoon, I went to the incinerator with Heinrich. This was a place where garbage from the Forest was burned, so it was a place where Trees could not normally even go close. ¡°¡­Sister, do you really have to do this?¡± Heinrich couldn¡¯t erase his displeasure, and said while putting his hands on the back of his head. ¡°You can just send that beast to the Viscount.¡± ¡°Heinrich, you shouldn¡¯t say such mean things.¡± ¡°Why!¡± ¡°He¡¯s our friend.¡± ¡°Hey, since when did we become friends¡­¡± Heinrich murmured softly with his purple eyes shining. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be friends with him¡­ And my sister loves that kid so much.¡± I grabbed Heinrich¡¯s hand and smiled. ¡°Anyway, thank you for coming with me, Heinrich.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Heinrich¡¯s soft, bean-cake-like cheeks twitched and moved. Then it quickly turned red like a deliciously ripe peach. ¡°Hmph, there¡¯s no need to thank me for something so obvious.¡± Heinrich easily climbed up a barbed wire fence that was twice his height, and then he jumped down. ¡°Oh, watch out!¡± Tak¨C After landing nicely, he wiped his hands and opened the lock from the inside. As I went inside, I didn¡¯t forget to give the boy a small hug. ¡°After all, Heinrich is the only one~?¡± Heinrch groaned as his shoulders were curved in like a kitten that caught a mouse for the first time. ¡®Ahh, as expected of this cute baby¡­!¡¯ I smiled and entered the incinerator, and immediately gathered up the last month¡¯s worth of morning papers one by one, then sat down and started reading. What I was looking for was an article about Viscount Puterio or about the Ferdes region. Viscount Puterio was quite the celebrity in the community as a man who ran a large slave trade. If something happened recently, it would have a ripple effect enough to be published in a newspaper. ¡®It¡¯s very strange that he came to the Forest all of a sudden. Also, to pick up a child.¡¯ 50 million gold was a large sum, but his slave trade was recording huge sales. Whether it was worth coming a long way, dealing with Madam Mimosa in the Forest, which was reputed to be difficult, and calling even the lord to make a fuss¡­ Well, something was ambiguous. ¡°Huh?¡± Then a headline caught my eye. ¡¸ The outbreak of Ferdes death plague ¡®Marel¡¯. Is it the devil¡¯s curse? ¡¹ ¡®An epidemic is circulating.¡¯ There was an article in the newspaper that the lord of Ferdes had sealed off the borders and prevented commoners from moving between regions. ¡®If there is an epidemic¡­ The slave traders must have been hit hard.¡¯ Who would buy a ¡®human¡¯ from an epidemic-prone area? Just as expected. ¡¸Ferdes slave trader bankruptcy crisis, Viscount Puterio ¡°Calling for help from the community¡±¡¹ ¡®Bankruptcy crisis!¡¯ I now understood the situation. That was why he came all the way to the countryside to find a little boy and threatened to release him for 50 million gold. A business, once there was a hole in its financial ability, would go bankrupt in an instant. ¡°Hmm.¡± I smiled lightly and raised the corners of my lips. ¡°I finally figured it out. How to avoid sending Sislin.¡± ¡°Huh? Really?¡± Heinrich raised his eyebrows as if he was really curious and tilted his head. I crossed my arms proudly on the paper box and smiled. ¡°Yes, something very bad came to mind.¡± ¡°¡­Something bad?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t give our Sislin to anyone.¡± My eyes flashed like an obsessed junkie. If everything went according to my plan, the Marquis of Corel would favor Madam Mimosa¡¯s hand tomorrow. What the plan was is¡­ * * * The next day. There was the smell of bread from the morning. In the kitchen, children were sitting, crawling, and kneading bread. ¡°Annette, look at this! I made this.¡± Julien held out the bread dough to me, bright blue eyes shining like the lake. ¡°Ah, well done.¡± I said with a smile. ¡°Did you make a monster? Julien?¡± The big eyes under the fluffy blond hair became. ¡°¡­T-This is Annette¡­¡± ¡®The world of art is profound.¡¯ ¡°Ah! After looking at it again, it really does look like me~¡± Julien, who had been gloomy, heard what I said and smiled like the sun! It had been a long tradition in the Forest for children to cook food together whenever a distinguished guest came. Today was the day of the summary trial requested by Viscount Puterio, who claimed ownership of Sislin. In the summary trial, the point was on ¡®abbreviation¡¯. Normally, you would have to go to the marquis¡¯ castle to explain what went wrong, but since the existence of the Forest was a secret from the outside, Marquis Corel agreed to come. So from the morning, the secretary of Marquis Corel and the secretary of Viscount Puterio stopped by the Forest to speak about their superiors¡¯ tastes and preferences. The menu was prepared without any lack of effort, from roast duck, clam chowder, and soft bread to seasonal fruits. And finally, just before the trial began. I met Sislin. ¡°Sisl, you must be really nervous¡­¡± With his red eyes stuck to the floor, the boy hardly looked up. ¡®He couldn¡¯t even make eye contact with Viscount Puterio.¡¯ For Sislin, the viscount must be a monster. He used terrifying abusive language, tortured him almost to death, and as if that was not enough, he even made him fear water. Of course, even making eye contact would require a lot of courage. However, he had to participate in the trial in the room with the monster-like man who treated him mercilessly. Moreover, depending on the outcome of the trial, it was possible for him to be dragged to the monster. ¡®It¡¯s understandable he¡¯s scared¡¯ It would be fortunate if he could even keep his head up throughout the trial. I wrapped his cheek and spoke with the most gentle voice I could muster. ¡°Sisl, look at me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Beautiful ruby-colored eyes between his thick black hair meekly looked at me. ¡®Oh my, he looks like a scared dog.¡¯ It was heartbreaking yet cute, so I spoke boldly on purpose so as not to frighten Sislin. ¡°You know, we must go inside and make sure! To come back with a win.¡± ¡°¡­Annette.¡± The boy licked his dry lips. ¡°I will go in alone. Annette stays outside.¡± ¡°Why¡­?¡± I thought he would say he wanted to go in together because he was scared? A shadow deepened in the ruby-colored eyes. ¡°Viscount Puterio is a vicious human being. I don¡¯t want Annette to get involved because of me.¡± He was willing to meet the monster alone because he was worried about that¡­ I felt it the last time I met Viscount Puterio, but when it came to things related to me, Sislin became strangely courageous. Then I must be brave too! I lowered my eyebrows and smiled brightly. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid at all?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± With both hands, I carefully clasped Sislin¡¯s hand. ¡°Sisl, from now on, we will go in and prove the Viscount wrong.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t continue to suffer from the trauma that such a bad person inflicted on you.¡± ¡°So, if the Viscount collapses in there today¡­ Your fear of water also collapses. Understand?¡± The boy¡¯s eyes, which had been shaking as if swept away by a typhoon, had calmly subsided. ¡°Yes.¡± Sislin nodded. ¡®Finally.¡¯ Now was the time to carry out the prepared operation. Today¡¯s operation was so-called ¡®Exterminating dog dung with bugs¡¯. It was about defeating the bad guys with the bad guys. Would the marquis really move as I wish? My heart was pounding and trembling with tension and excitement. I grabbed Sislin¡¯s hand and vigorously opened the door to the judging office, and entered. Chapter 9 Finally, a summary trial began. The participants were the Marquis of Corel, Madam Mimosa, and Viscount Puterio. And there were five children who prepared the food together, including Sislin and I. ¡®That man is the Marquis of Corel.¡¯ He was a chubby man who gave off a very sensitive impression, and he was wearing a white horsehair wig used by judges. And as soon as he arrived, he acted very strangely. Spray¨C Spray¨C His secretary had put something in a perfume bottle and was diligently spraying it on the chair. ¡®The smell of alcohol¡­!¡¯ Then he carefully wiped the chair on which the marquis would sit on with a silk handkerchief. Marquis Corel asked for understanding, perhaps reading the puzzled faces of the people. ¡°Excuse me, I¡¯m sensitive to cleanliness.¡± ¡®As expected, his mysophobia is severe.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t even sit on a bare chair. I narrowed my eyes as I looked at the scene. It was like a person who suffered from severe ¡®health anxiety¡¯ and ¡®mysophobia¡¯ at the same time. As soon as he arrived, the picky marquis shook hands with Madam Mimosa and Viscount Puterio in turn. ¡°Oh my gosh, Marquis¡­ I¡¯m sorry to bring such a busy and honorable person like you for such a small incident!¡± ¡°No, Viscount.¡± Giving a somewhat cold reply, the marquis raised his hands and his secretary changed his glove. ¡®Oh My God. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m seeing this in person?¡¯ Maybe it looked funny even to the little ones as everyone covered their mouths with their small hands and laughed, going ¡®pfft!¡¯ But soon after seeing Madam Mimosa¡¯s cold eyes, everyone stiffened and shut their mouths. ¡°These are the children who helped prepare food for today¡¯s VIP guests.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Sasha!¡± ¡°I¡¯m Julien! I made bread.¡± Then, in turn, the five children gave their greetings. The girls held up their skirts and waved cutely in the traditional greeting of the Forest, while the boys held their hands tightly and made eye contact with the adults. ¡°I am Annette.¡± At last, it was my turn, and as I was about to say a traditional greeting and leave¡­ ¡°¡­!¡± Viscount Puterio grabbed my hand and pulled me, and I was helplessly dragged away. He whispered in a voice so soft that only I could hear it. ¡°I knew you were going to get rid of me, but to think you¡¯ve come all the way here, you brat. The greeting was pretty cute, but anyway, I don¡¯t think you¡¯re cute for a child.¡± A disgusting threat followed. Against a 12 year old child. ¡°A bastard who has no money is not cute. I especially hate girls who are useless like you.¡± I tried to pull my wrist out, but instead, he harshly applied more force to my hand. ¡°¡­Heuk!¡± ¡°Be careful. Wouldn¡¯t it be possible to become a slave after four years? There are many children who are kidnapped after leaving the forest? Kek.¡± It was then. Sislin pushed the viscount with great strength and brought me into his arms, hugging me tightly. The boy¡¯s rosy red eyes fluttered dangerously as he stared straight at the viscount. With a cold, expressionless face, Sislin uttered, ¡°If you touch Annette, I will kill you.¡± Startled by the force he felt, the viscount said, ¡°¡­This, this, this slave!¡± I suddenly buried my head in Sislin¡¯s arms and closed my eyes. Aww, he¡¯s such a powerful kid. If Sislin had been 12 years older, I would have been excited¡­ ¡®He¡¯s scared himself, but still trying to protect me, my baby is so special.¡¯ I scrunched my nose. ¡°You must be careful, Viscount. As you know, that child is an ¡®ability awakener¡¯.¡± Madam Mimosa warned appropriately. The viscount, whose face turned red, looked like he wanted to swear, but he kept his mouth shut as he looked at the eyes of Marquis Corel, who was still making a fuss. Because he didn¡¯t want to be hated even a little bit. After all, today was an important day in his life. 50 million gold would not normally be a disappointing amount from the standpoint of a well-known slave trader, and it was enough money to help him with his life if he went bankrupt. So, like moving a raw egg, he would be cautious during the trial. He would do his best not to offend the sensitive nature of the marquis. The marquis, who had been contemplating the situation, opened his mouth as if it was insignificant. ¡°Let¡¯s move on quickly. Who will tell me about the case that will be put on the summary trial today?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you!¡± Viscount Puterio shrewdly stepped forward. He had a mean expression on his face showing that he wanted to say something in his favor. ¡°¡­¡± Madam Mimosa seemed a step behind. The marquis gave Viscount Puterio the right to speak. ¡°Yes, tell me.¡± Viscount Puterio smiled and stood up and said, ¡°Marquis, today¡¯s case is about a young slave named Sislin who belonged to my ¡®Ferdes Slave Store¡¯, achoo!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Marquis Corel looked at the viscount with contemptuous eyes, as if he was annoyed by the sudden sneeze. ¡°What was that unsanitary sneeze just now, Viscount?¡± Viscount Puterio wiped the corners of his mouth and smiled. ¡°Oops, I¡¯m sorry. I must have an itch for a second. I¡¯ll say it again. Today¡¯s¡­ achoo! Sorry, achoo!¡± Marquis Corel exclaimed in displeasure. ¡°What the hell are you doing in the sacred court?!¡± Then, I intervened and said, blinking seriously. ¡°Is this a symptom of an infectious disease?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± In an instant, the atmosphere became as cold as if it had been hit by a bomb, and Marquis Corel¡¯s face turned pale blue. Blood rushed out of the viscount¡¯s face. Seeing their reaction, I laughed inside like a baby devil. ¡®Yum yum, the peaches had a good effect?¡¯ * * * 3 hours ago. Viscount Puterio¡¯s secretary first came to the forest to convey the taste and preferences of his superior. ¡°The Viscount enjoys meat dishes, especially duck.¡± ¡°Coincidentally, the Marquis also said that he enjoys cooked meat. Then it would be better to have a whole duck!¡± ¡°You¡¯re very smart, young one.¡± I answered clearly with a clever and bright attitude, characteristic of a typical model student. ¡°Thank you, Mister Secretary!¡± The secretary smiled happily. ¡°Oh, and by any chance, is there any food he can¡¯t eat because of allergies?¡± I asked with a smile on my face. Usually, nobles in this country strictly avoided food allergies from an early age, and had no chance to overcome it. So it was very common for nobles to have at least one allergy. ¡°I¡¯m going to tell the chef to exclude the ingredient.¡± ¡°You¡¯re very meticulous. Let¡¯s see¡­aha!¡± The secretary, who had been stroking his chin, raised his index finger as if he suddenly thought about it, and explained bit by bit. ¡°The Viscount is allergic to the fuzz on peach skin, but it¡¯s fine if it¡¯s stewed or put in a bottle.¡± After a while¡­ I gathered the kids who would cook today and said, ¡°Sislin is a Tree just like us. But it looks like he¡¯s going to be dragged into slavery. We¡¯re not going to let it go, are we?¡± The friendship between the little ones was strong. I said to the children who looked at me with their twinkling eyes. ¡°My friends, can anyone help Sislin?¡± After biting her small lips, Caroline said resolutely, ¡°If he¡¯s Annette¡¯s friend, he¡¯s also my friend! I¡¯ll help!¡± With his big eyes twinkling, Julien said, ¡°I want to help your friend too.¡± Sasha then said, ¡°Sislin blows soap bubbles really well! So I have to help!¡± ¡­Well, it¡¯s a strange reason, Sasha but thank you. Then the other children rushed to raise their hands. It seemed like they were more friendly towards Sislin just because they all played in the water together. It was a good thing. ¡°But how can we help? Sasha tilted her pink hair as if she was curious. ¡°Simple.¡± I smiled and pulled out a basket. There were a pile of sweet, fluffy peaches from the grocery store. ¡°Everyone, now, enjoy eating these peaches!¡± ¡°Wow, it¡¯s delicious. How easy!¡± The little ones sat around and ate the ¡®yum yum¡¯ peaches with their small hands. And when the summary trial began, I fluttered my skirt full of peach fuzz ¨C shaking it off when the viscount grabbed my arm. It was just a cute greeting, but it was enough to catch the viscount. * * * ¡°Is it a contagious disease?¡± Marquis Corel asked as if picking a fight. I pretended not to know anything and calmly explained. ¡°I was told that one would sneeze or cough if you got the Ferdes epidemic. Then, as the fever develops, the skin of the whole body rots away¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± Marquis Corel looked as if his skin had already rotted. Naturally, Viscount Puterio jumped up and denied it. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s not me! Keuk, keuk!¡± He desperately covered his mouth, but the sneeze had now turned into a heavy cough. I smiled softly (at an angle only visible to Viscount Puterio) and pretended to be concerned. ¡°Oh, Viscount, is your fever like a fireball? I¡¯ll have to bring you some fever reducers.¡± The startled Viscount Puterio pushed me and glared. ¡°It¡¯s completely false! Keuk, keuk. This little brat is trying to frame me¡­!¡± However, the marquis already had a sick and fearful expression on his face. ¡°Stop that filthy cough right now! It¡¯s an order!¡± ¡°Marquis, look at my forehead! Not even a fever!¡± That was when the viscount fiercely approached the marquis to prove his innocence. Slap¨C! As he was struck by the thick palm of the marquis who swung with all his might in disgust, Viscount Puterio¡¯s skinny body spun around and around. He was hit so hard that his front teeth came out like popcorn. ¡°Where are you coming from? Get away from me!¡± Marquis Corel, with a prideful expression, dragged the chair he was sitting on towards the wall to avoid him. His horsehair wig was trembling. Viscount Puterio was unable to stand up easily and was groaning from his current position on the floor, but no one lifted him up. With his face red like an active volcano, the marquis hastily said to Madam Mimosa. ¡°I would like the trial to proceed as soon as possible. What happened today?¡± Madam Mimosa spoke without showing much embarrassment despite the sudden situation. ¡°The Viscount claims ownership of the child named Sislin in our Forest. He was originally a slave to the Ferdes slave trader, but it was said that he lost the child due to negligence.¡± As soon as he heard it, the expression of Marquis Corel crumpled. ¡°It¡¯s shameless of you to claim ownership on the subject of losing a child through your own negligence!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± Viscount Puterio, who naturally thought the marquis would be on his side, looked as if an iron skewer had pierced his whole body. ¡°Marquis¡­?¡± His bloody lips contorted badly. Ame: Double updates today! Let¡¯s see the ¡®end¡¯ of the viscount, shall we? ^^ Chapter 10 But it was what I expected. Marquis Corel was so very anxious about his health that he could not stand any threats to his well-being. He was a person who was seriously afraid of getting sick and dying every day. Even in the original work, when an employee bumped into him while carrying trash, he tried to kill himself and ran wild. The logic was that if a mouse had eaten the garbage, it would have passed the germs of the mouse to him and he could die. To describe it in a word, it was a ¡®disease¡¯. But a coughing human from an area where an epidemic had spread¡­ ¡°Of course, the child belongs to the Forest! I really don¡¯t care. Today¡¯s trial is over!¡± A deep frustration crept over Viscount Puterio¡¯s face. It was a situation in which the outcome of this trial would determine whether his life would be revived or fall into hell. Besides, how confident was he that he was sure of his victory? As if hearing a death sentence, Viscount Puterio shouted in complete devastation. ¡°M-Marquis, please reconsider!¡± Viscount Puterio crawled on the floor and hung on to the hem of Marquis Corel¡¯s trousers. The marquis was astonished as if he had seen a cockroach. ¡°Let go of me! Can¡¯t you let go!¡± ¡°How are you so cold-hearted? Isn¡¯t the relationship we¡¯ve been dealing with for a while¡­ Keuk¡­!¡± ¡°The deal with the Viscount is over forever. I was reluctant to meet you from the beginning because you were from an epidemic area, but you brought the disease!¡± Marquis Corel¡¯s face turned red. His anger went all the way to the top of his head. ¡°If this isn¡¯t an intention to kill me, then what is it! Give the Viscount an order of exile and a fine of 1 billion gold for trying to kill me!¡± ¡°A billion gold?!¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t pay the fine, you will be tortured and have to toil for the rest of your life until you pay it back!¡± Viscount Puterio cried out in despair. ¡°Marquis! You can¡¯t do this to me!!!¡± Marquis Corel cried out in disgust. ¡°Hey, get the Viscount out of here!¡± The marquis¡¯s guards rushed in and dragged Viscount Puterio out of the way. ¡°Marquis, please¡­! Please save me! Argh, let go, you bastards!¡± * * * ¡®Huhu, I¡¯ve succeeded.¡¯ I hummed out of the scene Marquis Corel would probably suffer from trauma for several months due to his personality. Viscount Puterio would pay the price for the sins he committed with his sharp tongue and cruel hands. Most of all, I was most happy that I didn¡¯t have to send Sislin away. Now it was her turn to keep her promise to Madam Mimosa with a fresh heart. That evening. At the end of the three-day time limit imposed by Madam Mimosa. I visited her room with Sislin. ¡°I¡¯m here to keep my promise, Madam.¡± Madam Mimosa glanced at Sislin with her stern golden eyes. I was nervous and swallowed my saliva. By my standards, Sislin was now in a very clean state. ¡°Sisl, the Viscount who tormented you will never come back here again. So now, you only have one person left to defeat.¡± ¡°¡­ Who is that?¡± ¡°Yourself!¡± ¡®You are afraid of water.¡¯ It was no longer a problem with the viscount, but a problem with the boy himself. Sislin understood what I was saying and had a determined expression on his face. After a while. The Sislin that came out of the bathroom was really soft and shiny. Enough to be impressed with him. Black hair that smelled good. Smooth, white skin. And neat small hands and feet. He was said to be the blood of the royal family, but if the baby appears to have dignity, was it my illusion¡­? ¡®It¡¯s clear that there¡¯s a Gwanggong buff.¡¯ To me, Sislin was so pretty, but what about Madam Mimosa? Soon after completing a sharp, emotionless scan, Madam Mimosa said, ¡°Perfect.¡± Oh, I did it! An indescribable joy flashed across my face. ¡°As promised, I¡¯ll pretend there was no corporal punishment.¡± ¡°Yes, madam!¡± ¡°But if you break the rules again¡­¡± The golden eyes shone sternly. ¡°Keep in mind that I will never let you off in that situation.¡± As soon as I got out of Madam Mimosa¡¯s room, I hugged Sislin and stomped my feet. I liked it so much. ¡°Sisl, you don¡¯t have to hide anywhere anymore! Let¡¯s make friends, eat delicious food and get along well!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Sislin¡¯s ears turned red for some reason. ¡°Thank you, Annette.¡± I laughed softly. ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me. Wouldn¡¯t it have been impossible without the courage of the Sisl?¡± I liked the clean and soft feeling, so I kept touching his hair. My chest was filled with joy. ¡®Do I think the first goal has finally been achieved?¡¯ I initially set two goals. First, to let Sislin live comfortably in the Forest like other children. Second, to make Heinrich and Sislin get along well. Now that Sislin could live freely in the forest, all I had to do was focus on improving the relationship between the little ones. ¡®After that, the extra shall leave.¡¯ I just had to wish them a happy ending from afar and enjoy it. Huhu, just thinking about it made me feel comfortable and cool. But, before that¡­ ¡°Sisl, your hair is too long, so I need to cut it. It keeps stabbing you in the eyes. I¡¯ll cut it!¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to borrow scissors. Sisl, go to the hideout first.¡± Annette left those words and ran out alone into the hallway in haste. Sislin, who was left alone, looked at the hallway where she had disappeared and placed his hand on his chest. He felt a strong heartbeat. ¡­What was this feeling? The scent of the girl lingered on the tip of his nose. A soft and warm fragrance resembling the scent of lilac. Even when she wasn¡¯t here, it felt like her body scent was seeping into his lungs. ¡°¡­¡­¡± As he glanced through the window, where the light was suddenly pouring in, a gentle spring breeze flew past, making the boy¡¯s long hair flutter. It was the first time. Such excitement. When he remembered her round, light green eyes, it was as if he could hear her lively voice carried by the wind. ¡°Now you¡¯ll stay with me, Sisl.¡± The boy licked his lips and thought back to those precious words. ¡°Stay¡­ together.¡± All of a sudden, his ears became as red as ripe summer apricots. ¡®I promise you too, Annette.¡¯ ¡®Wherever you are in the future, I will always return to your side¡­¡¯ The boy tried calling her name. The tip of his tongue touched the roof of his mouth twice as long and fell apart. When he said it, his whole mouth became sweet. ¡°Annette¡­¡± * * * ¡°Come on, customer, please sit down. How would you like your hair to be cut?¡± I held silver scissors and asked the seated Sislin. ¡®Don¡¯t just blink, please answer, customer.¡¯ ¡°What? Cut the bangs that poke your eyes? You want a handsome and cute hairstyle!¡± ¡°¡­.I just.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll just make you look really cute and handsome!¡± In front of me, who acted as a hair salon manager, Heinrich said while sitting on a high railing. ¡°Cut it roughly. No matter how you cut it, he would look like a baby beast.¡± ¡°¡­Heinrich.¡± When I opened my eyes slightly and gave her a ¡®look¡¯, Heinrich¡¯s purple eyes shifted away as if he didn¡¯t like it. ¡°Sister only needs to cut my hair.¡± ¡°Hmm, I cut both Julien and Sasha¡¯s already?¡± The arrogant, unflinching eyes under the silver hair narrowed. ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡± I nodded as if I understood it roughly. ¡®What¡¯s different?¡¯ ¡®The jealousy of little ones is¡­¡¯ Then I licked my upper lip with my tongue, and concentrated on cutting his hair. I really wanted to cut these shaggy bangs once. Snip, snip¨C In the midst of silence, only the sound of breathing and hair being cut could be heard. I felt better for now reason. Perhaps because his black bangs were falling. Looking at the face of a boy who had his black eyelashes spread out like a fan¡­ ¡°Open your eyes.¡± At my soft whisper, the boy opened his eyes. His eyelashes slowly lifted, and his red eyes looked at me. It was the first time I had seen his eyes closed so close. My face was reflected in the boy¡¯s eyes. ¡°Pretty.¡± At that moment, Sislin whispered. Then he smiled faintly and wrapped a hand around my cheek. ¡°Annette.¡± I stared blankly at Sislin. ¡®¡­Oh my God, look at that smiling face. If you grow up just a little bit, you¡¯ll seduce everyone in the world.¡¯ With a spoonful of surprise and a spoonful of bewilderment, I spoke a little gibberish. ¡°¡­What? Because it¡¯s not pretty at all, me.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Kudangtangtang¨C Just then, Heinrich pushed his butt into the chair Sislin was sitting on. With Sislin, who was suddenly thrown out, beside him, Heinrich arrogantly folded his arms and lifted his gaze. ¡°Move away, it¡¯s my turn now.¡± ¡°¡­Heinrich, it hasn¡¯t been long since you had your hair cut.¡± ¡°No, look! My hair is so long, it¡¯s messy.¡± It didn¡¯t look like that at all. Still, I had to give some attention to this fellow. ¡°Okay, Heinrich.¡± Snip¨C When he saw me cutting into the air, Sisin had a strange expression, but I quietly asked him to pretend he didn¡¯t know. Then I made a scissoring sound on every side of his head. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s it. Our Heinri.¡±(TL/N: her nickname for him¡­ which I might have overlooked a few times in earlier episodes, sorry about that!) I showed him the mirror and smiled. ¡°How is it?¡± In the mirror, a boy with silver hair and purple eyes examined his own face. Did he notice? I was feeling a little nervous, but Heinrich raised the corners of his lips in satisfaction. ¡°¡­Now it¡¯s worth looking at.¡± ¡®Heh heh, you stupid idiot.¡¯ Chapter 11 ¡°I look better after having my hair cut, don¡¯t I? Thank you, Sister.¡± ¡°Ooh, you¡¯re really cool~! Our Heinri.¡± ¡®Haha, you stupid kid.¡¯ I glanced at Sislin to signal ¡®quick, quick¡¯ and cleared the hair from the floor. There wasn¡¯t even a single strand of silver hair. Fortunately, Heinrich didn¡¯t notice because he was looking in the mirror. ¡®Perfect crime.¡¯ Sislin and I looked at each other and nodded resolutely. I felt like we were in sync. Then I suddenly thought of this. Just like how they were with me, wouldn¡¯t it be great if Heinrich and Sislin could get along? ¡°Hmm¡­¡± After thinking deeply, I raised my index finger slightly and opened my mouth. ¡°Guys, have you ever heard the saying ¡®A friend of a friend is a friend.¡¯¡± ¡°¡­¡± Sislin looked at me quietly while Heinrich opened his mouth to pretend to be smart. ¡°Of course. It means that the friend of someone close to me is also my friend.¡± ¡°Wow, that¡¯s right, our Heinri!¡± Clap, clap! As I praised him, Heinrich¡¯s nose rose. I smiled brazenly and grabbed the wrists of the two children, making them hold each other¡¯s hands. As if they were shaking hands. ¡°Well, then, how about we get to know each other? You¡¯re both my friends, so you¡¯re friends.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± For a moment, the expressions of the two boys were crumpled at the same time. Heinrich¡¯s expression was ¡®outright disgusting¡¯ and Sislin¡¯s expression was ¡®subtle contempt¡¯. ¡®¡­Do you hate it that much? Children?¡¯ But if they stayed like this, wouldn¡¯t the relationship continue to be bad? Then, at what time would it get better? ¡®At times like this, there¡¯s a need for a sure Ojakgyo bridge that connects in the middle!¡¯(TL/N: Ojakgyo is the setting for Korea¡¯s most famous love story, in which a couple is forced to live on either side of the Milky Way, only to be reunited when magpies form a bridge.) I said vigorously. ¡°You can unexpectedly be good friends!¡± ¡°Sister, I told you. I¡¯m not friends with filthy bastards.¡± When Heinrich looked at Sislin as if he was a leftover dog bone, Sislin looked at him as if he was a whining fly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be friends with that silver tray head either.¡± ¡°What!? Silver tray head?¡± ¡®Ah, both of you can¡¯t do this!¡¯ If the situation was like this, I had no choice but to pull out my trump card. The two had very different personalities, but they both had one thing in common. ¡®Which is¡­¡¯ ¡®They both follow me very well!¡¯ ¡°But, Sisl and Heinri are my favorite friends! If we don¡¯t get along well¡­¡¯ I put on a somber expression. ¡°I think I¡¯ll be sad.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Heinrich, who was shaking his jaw like a cat, was startled by my words. It was like seeing the owner crying out loud. Heinrich made an expression while saying, ¡°Ugh.¡± Then, as if he had no choice, he let out a long sigh and took Sislin¡¯s hand first. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Sislin, who looked at me with agitated eyes, held hands with him in the same way. ¡°If that¡¯s what Sister says, there is nothing I can do¡­¡± ¡°Do not be sad. Annette.¡± Seeing the two little boys shaking hands, I smiled inwardly. ¡®Fufu. I¡¯m sorry, kids.¡¯ It was acting. Just acting. Was this one step closer to a happy ending? With a fresh and happy expression on my face, I tightly wrapped my two hands around the joined fern-like hands of the kids. Then up and down, shake shake! I shook our hands vigorously. ¡°Yeah, from now on, we¡¯ll help each other and get to know each other better!¡± ¡®Oh, I¡¯m so proud.¡¯ ¡®Am I mistaken if I think that things are going smoothly?¡¯ ¡°Okay, then you two can talk. I¡¯ll go take a look at Julien¡¯s constant runny nose!¡± It would be nice to have a time of reconciliation between just the two of them. Then they would get to know each other better. Since they¡¯re still young. Young children usually become friends quickly after quarreling. I waved my hands and smiled softly. ¡°Then, see you guys later at the dormitory!¡± Then, I went out of the hideout, humming a song I heard at the temple. After Annette left. The boys, who were quietly glaring at each other, suddenly let go at the same time, as if throwing the other¡¯s hand away. Heinrich growled. ¡°If you pretend to be friendly, I¡¯ll kill you, beast.¡± Sislin was formidable, too. ¡°You, go away.¡± It was the site of the disastrous collapse of the poorly constructed Ojakgyo Bridge. * * * The next day. ¡°Well, it seems like there are many ripe apples on the apple farm. Today is a farmer experience day!¡± Miss Mislin smiled brightly. She, who had red hair and freckles on her face, specialized in outdoor experiential learning. The apples, managed by magic, were ripening beautifully and deliciously as if they had already received the autumn sun. They gave off a sweet and refreshing apple scent. ¡°Our Trees, you have to pick them till you feel that it¡¯s hard. Okay?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Oh, and it¡¯s forbidden to pick with abilities or magic!¡± The teacher gave a firm warning and left. ¡®Wow, the apple is so pretty.¡¯ I smiled happily as I picked up each ¡®ruby¡¯ and put it in the basket. Personally, I really enjoyed this class. I was always studying subjects that hurt my head in the classroom, but when I took classes outdoors in the sunlight, my heart was refreshed. The children seemed to be having fun, and the bright laughter kept coming out. Uhm? But Julien was standing next to me, doing nothing. ¡°Julien, is apple picking classes boring?¡± When I asked, Julien stretched out a plump bracken-like hand and held it out towards me. With an apple on top. His sky blue eyes twinkled. ¡°Tea-we-cher said to pick it until it¡¯s hard (the teacher said to stop picking when you feel it¡¯s hard).¡± Julien covered his forehead with the back of his tiny hand and made a sound, ¡°Phew.¡± ¡°Tirwed (tired).¡± ¡®Huhu, how cute.¡¯ Oh my, did one of our babies have a hard time picking? I raised a fist and shouted loudly. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll pick them and give them to you, too!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± I worked quite hard to get Julien¡¯s share. Whenever apples piled up in the basket, I felt somewhat satisfied. Rubbing my nose, I thought, ¡®Hey, maybe I¡¯m a pretty talented farmer?¡¯ I was truly a model student who was good at everything except awakening. Fufu. While picking apples and praising myself, I saw Sislin staring at the apples. It seemed that even the philosopher who made a great discovery wouldn¡¯t make such a troubled expression like him.(TL/N: Isaac Newton and gravity.) ¡­Was picking apples something to think about so seriously? Still¨C ¡®My baby, are you adjusting well to class?¡¯ I felt strangely proud. Until a few days ago, he couldn¡¯t even eat properly in the cave, but now, he was participating in class! Even for outdoor activities. I felt like he needed infinite encouragement, so I went next to him and smiled. ¡°Is it going well?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I checked Sislin¡¯s basket. It was a basket where only pretty things were selected and collected. So it was like a jewelry basket. ¡°Wow, Sislin, you picked really pretty apples.¡± Sislin looked at me silently and bit his lips. ¡°¡­Because I like pretty things.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡®Why are you looking at me like that, you Gwanggong kid.¡¯ As expected, even at 11 years old, he had the Gwanggong buff, which had the effects of making one¡¯s heart flutter. ¡°Hmmmm. I want the prettiest apples here. Let¡¯s have a match! Whoever has the prettiest apple wins!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Sislin laughed softly. I did not spare a storm of praise. ¡°Sislin is really good at picking apples. You¡¯re cool.¡± ¡°Sister, is it cool to pick apples well?¡± At that time, Heinrich suddenly broke in and asked. As if he had no intention of doing apple picking experience learning, he picked out a ripe apple and was eating it. ¡°Of course, that¡¯s cool!¡± ¡®So, can you be a little more diligent in class?¡¯ ¡°¡­I see.¡± All of a sudden, Heinrich threw the apple he was holding and turned around. He seemed to have muttered the words, ¡°Everyone is dead.¡± ¡­I felt like I made a big mistake. ¡®Still, it would be better than an insincere attitude in class.¡¯ It was when I was muttering to myself inwardly. I found Sislin climbing the highest tree and picking apples. It was a special farm managed by cultivation magic, so it was a place where apple trees grew as high as bamboo. ¡°¡­Sislin, he¡¯s serious about winning.¡± Then I couldn¡¯t lose either. I did my best to pick the prettiest apples. After a while¡­ Sislin jumped off a tall tree. ¡°Ah! It¡¯s dangerous!!!¡± I was genuinely frightened of him getting hurt, but Sislin landed safely after jumping off a tree several times my height. ¡®Oh, is that the class of the Awakened?¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m a little saddened by my talent for picking apples.¡¯ While I was feeling a little gloomy, Sislin came straight up to me and held out his hand to show me what he had picked. ¡°¡­Wow.¡± For a moment, I forgot that I was sad and just admired it. The apple that sparkled in the sun¡¯s glow was really pretty. The red, smooth surface was even shiny. The scent was strong and very sweet. To the point where my mouth was watering. This was the only option for ¡®the prettiest apple!¡¯ The match ended in a victory for Sislin, no matter who looked at it. Couldn¡¯t an extra like me beat an Awakened even in apple picking? With a little gloom, I said, ¡°¡­It¡¯s really pretty.¡± ¡°Take it.¡± ¡°What?¡± The boy looked at me silently. With red eyes like the essence of summer. ¡°This is the prettiest apple here.¡± I remembered what I said earlier, ¡®I want to have the prettiest apple here.¡¯ So he picked it for me? This pretty apple that was close to the sky like a star¡­ ¡°But if you give me this¡­ Won¡¯t Sislin lose the match?¡± At that time, the boy¡¯s face had a smile that was as soft and light as the leaves of early summer. ¡°I¡¯m okay with losing.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I will lose everything to Annette from now on.¡± At that friendly voice, my heart melted like cotton candy. Chapter 12 ¡°¡­Thanks!¡± I took the apple with both hands and held it, blushing. ¡®It¡¯s just an apple as a gift, but I¡¯m so happy.¡¯ I felt the heart of a boy who climbed the tallest tree, saying he would give me the prettiest thing, and it was touching. At first, it was hard to just talk to him¡­ I couldn¡¯t believe I got such a gift. ¡°A gift from the Sisl, it¡¯s like a treasure!¡± As I smiled broadly, Sislin¡¯s ears turned red. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Sislin scratched the tip of his sharp eyes as if he was occupied with something else. At that moment, a powerful and confident voice could be heard through the soft atmosphere. ¡°Sister, look here!¡± It was Heinrich¡¯s voice. I looked around while holding the apple in my hands. ¡°Huh? Where is he? I can¡¯t see Heinri at all¡­?¡± ¡°Voila!¡± At that moment, next to the bunch of apples piled up like a mountain, Heinrich¡¯s head unexpectedly popped out. ¡°Look at this. I got a lot, right?¡± ¡­Oh my God, our Heinrich picked the whole apple farm! When I quickly checked, all of the apple trees around were in a bare, plucked state ¨C like a bald head with hair loss. ¡°What do you think? I¡¯m good at picking apples. Aren¡¯t I cool, Sister?¡± ¡°¡­Uh huh.¡± ¡®Apple trees, I¡¯m so sorry.¡¯ It was when I was sincerely apologizing to the apple tree in front of the happy Heinrich. Caroline ran out of the mansion and said, ¡°Annette! Madam Mimosa told me to tell you to go to her room.¡± ¡°Now?¡± ¡°Yes, right now!¡± * * * ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ In front of Madam Mimosa¡¯s room. I knocked a little nervously. Knock, knock. Suddenly, a cold voice called out, ¡°Come in.¡± I mean, just standing in front of Madam Mimosa makes me nervous. But I wore a bright smile and acted like a model student. ¡°You called, Madam Mimosa.¡± Madam Mimosa was holding a file tied with a string of papers, but upon closer inspection, it was the ¡®life record¡¯. ¡°I called because I had something to ask you, Annette.¡± ¡°Yes! Ask me anything, madam.¡± ¡°Are you the one who touched this life record the last time you entered the room?¡± The children¡¯s identities were written in the life records. How old they are, what abilities they¡¯ve awakened, what¡¯s their grades and what¡¯s their personality like. And, what kind of things happened in the past for them to come to the Forest. It was literally a ledger where one could know everything about the Trees. Of course, I had never touched it. ¡°No¡­ did something happen?¡± Madam Mimosa¡¯s cool golden eyes stared at me as if they were penetrating me. ¡°There are traces of someone entering my room two nights ago and looking through the children¡¯s records.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°It seems that someone has contacted Viscount Puterio.¡± ¡°¡­What?!¡± I was so startled that I covered my mouth. How Viscount Puterio found Sislin in the Forest was a mystery. If he had location tracking magic or other similar magic, he would have come to find him right away, but he didn¡¯t and he came to find him after a delay. ¡®This means, someone deliberately gave the location to Viscount Puterio?¡¯ Who would do such a cruel thing? ¡°Of course it¡¯s not me, madam¡­ You know I care about Sislin.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Madam Mimosa simply agreed and put down the life records. ¡°I don¡¯t think it was Annette who did it either.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°But as a matter of procedure, I am asking all the children who came into my room.¡± The madam was convinced that it was a child¡¯s work. Madam Mimosa in the original had a short appearance as an extra, so I had little information on her, but she was quite a keen person. If she thought so, there must be a clear reason. ¡°If you know anything, come and talk to me.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, madam.¡± Madam Mimosa said, ¡°Please leave,¡± and turned around again with a cold face. I left the room with a serious expression on my face. ¡®Who would have done that?¡¯ Was it related to the shadow of a child I saw at the hideout last time? Intuitively, I was convinced that the two were the same person. I finally had to come to this conclusion. In this Forest; There was a child bothering Sislin. A child who was viciously bothering with the intention of sending him far away. ¡°¡­¡­¡± My fist gained strength. . * * * Returning to the classroom before the class began, I held my chin and looked at the children. All the children looked happy, kind and innocent. ¡®It¡¯s cruel for a child to want to send him out so that he can become a slave.¡¯ ¡­No. On the contrary, it could be crueler because it was a child. Rather than thinking deeply about life after being dragged into slavery, it must have been a simple wish for Sislin to disappear. ¡°¡­¡­¡± I fiddled with the bright red, shiny apple in my hands. ¡®You must find the person.¡¯ Because I didn¡¯t know what else to do with that blind heart. If you were active enough to tattle on where we were hiding and inform the slave trader, you would surely move again. ¡®It happened twice because I didn¡¯t know. I won¡¯t let there be a third time.¡¯ I rolled my head sharply and bravely like a honey badger hiding in the grass. Now, it was my turn to put aside my love for the Trees and open up cool-headed suspicion. There were a total of two ¡®criminal¡¯ candidates. The first was that child. ¡°Heinrich, Heinri! Do you want this brooch?¡± The pretty child with platinum blonde hair and vibrant turquoise eyes was named Vivian, 11 years old. Vivian was a little lady who was still young, but the sprouts of beauty could already be seen. She was a self-proclaimed ¡®Heinrich follower¡¯. Vivian was a child who was together with Heinrich when he awakened his abilities. She fell in love with Heinrich at a glance after seeing the special first-level magic that was strong enough to wear a ¡®magic force suppressor.¡¯ It would have looked even greater to her because her magic was weak. Since then, she had been chasing Heinrich, though he found her quite annoying. Heinrich said with a frown as if waving away a fluttering fly. ¡°I¡¯m not going to take it. Please don¡¯t play tricks and get lost.¡± However, Vivian was not intimidated. She asked Heinrich again, looking out the window with her chin on her hand. ¡°By the way, why aren¡¯t you replying to my letter? Don¡¯t you like the content? Do you want me to write it again?¡± Heinrich replied, staring at Vivian through narrowed purple eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know the content. Because I tore it apart without reading it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡®Ah, the way you treat a girl is so rude!¡¯ Huhu, it was totally heartbreaking for me to watch. Sure enough, Vivian stepped down after suffering internal injuries due to lack of manners from the chihuahua. Of course, it wasn¡¯t that I didn¡¯t understand Heinrich. He said he didn¡¯t like it, but she followed him so much that he almost got neurosis. In particular, she had already sent more than 30 letters. Even though she was ignored every time. ¡®She was a huge follower in the original work.¡¯ Vivian liked what Heinrich liked, and blindly hated what he hated. ¡®That¡¯s why she followed Heinrich and severely harassed Sislin.¡¯ Then, Heinrich paid attention to her. However, in the original work, Sislin later did not take revenge on Vivian, but it seemed that he was not interested in her. In the end, she did not receive anyone¡¯s attention. I looked closely at Vivian. ¡®If it¡¯s Vivian, there¡¯s a possibility.¡¯ Her basic attribute was being a model student, and she had a strong reporting spirit, so if she had found our hideout, she would have reported it. Contacting Puterio¡­ It could have been because Heinrich already showed that he hates Sislin. ¡°In addition, Vivian cleans Madam Mimosa¡¯s room.¡± It was an easy position to access life records. At the time I was contemplating, Vivian made eye contact with me. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Then she squinted and glared as if she was displeased, and turned her head again. ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m being hated.¡± Vivian hated me quite a bit. The more Heinrich followed me, the more I felt that she hated me. I was the only one Vivian did not blindly like according to Heinrich¡¯s taste. Maybe she just disliked me. ¡®A check from a little kid¡­ but it¡¯s not scary at all.¡¯ I shook my head lightly. Anyway, no matter how suspicious it was, it was not easy to doubt Vivian. It was a matter to be approached very carefully as the nature of the crime was bad. Because it could have created an unfortunate child. Still, the first of the two ¡®criminal¡¯ candidates was Vivian. The last candidate was¡­ At that time, Heinrich appeared, cutting my string of thoughts. ¡°Sister, give me an award. I¡¯m the best at picking apples and I¡¯m the coolest.¡± Suddenly, I remembered the first time I met Heinrich. The boy with cold eyes like a deep winter forest, with a lot of thorns standing up¡­ Initially, Heinrich was mean to me, but I had no choice but to accept everything. Because I liked him so much. I cared for that boy a lot even when he was just the main character in the novel. Even if he behaved badly, I knew that he wasn¡¯t innately bad, he was just a very lonely child. However, in this situation, the child with the strongest motive for committing the crime against Sislin was¡­ It was Heinrich. I barely kept my cool. ¡®You are the second candidate as the culprit. Heinrich.¡¯ ¡°Sister.¡± Heinrich¡¯s beautiful eyes that resembled winter nights gently curved along his sharp eyes. ¡°As a reward, can I sit next to you today and take classes?¡± The boy smiled prettily and held his chin. Not knowing what was going through my mind at all. ¡®It hurts my heart to conclude that Heinrich is a candidate as the culprit.¡¯ A sense of conflict surged. There was no way a baby so cute, so naive, and so kind that he couldn¡¯t even touch other people¡¯s hair couldn¡¯t have done that! (This was definitely bean pods. Heinrich once pulled out a handful of hair from a baron during socialization training.) (PR/N: As said in a previous chapter, bean pods here mean that her eyes are so blinded like bean pods covering her eyes. Basically saying she¡¯s blinded by her love lmao) My love for my favorite and my sense of reason fought fiercely, so I groaned and touched my forehead. ¡®If Heinrich did, it would be even worse.¡¯ Heinrich was basically a child who knew what a slave¡¯s treatment would be. So, he knew everything and still did it. If it was any other average thing, I would have wrapped it up with how Heinrich couldn¡¯t have done such a thing. ¡®But this is¡­ This is about Sislin.¡¯ Heinrich was probably the person who wished Sislin would be sent out of the Forest the most right now. I knew that the troublemaker, who had thought it was natural to monopolize me, hated Sislin a lot these days. Besides, considering the original¡­ From the character setting to the motive to hate, everything was perfect. ¡°Sister, why aren¡¯t you answering?¡± Heinrich put his elbows on the desk and looked up at me with his pretty face cradled in his hands. Purple eyes twinkled playfully. ¡°¡­¡­¡± I put strength in my eyes and said. Chapter 13 ¡°Heinri, acting cute is prohibited for the time being.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Clean, clean¡ª I mentally washed my eyes to remove the bean pods from them. And, bling bling, my eyes sparkled! I tried my best. In the meantime, however, Heinrich¡¯s beautiful face was fast approaching me. ¡°Sister, I¡¯m good at picking apples, so I¡¯m the coolest person in the world, right?¡± I forgot my resolution in one second and nodded vigorously. ¡°Yes! Of course!¡± ¡®¡­¡­Oh my god, I am too weak towards Heinrich.¡¯ How could I objectively catch the culprit? But¡­ If Heinrich really did that¡­ ¡®I¡¯ll be the only one who can stop him.¡¯ I had to fix it. ¡®Besides, Heinrich is a tricky kid! Such a character is not educationally correct.¡¯ I said sternly with my eyes wide open. ¡°Heinri, I always say this right? I hate kids who do bad things.¡± ¡°Oh, of course.¡± Heinrich answered without a moment¡¯s hesitation. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m holding back bad things to be loved by my sister.¡± ¡­That¡¯s right. The Heinrich we see today had my influence. Maybe he didn¡¯t do that because he didn¡¯t want to be hated by me. It would be nice if that was the case¡­ ¡°Sister.¡± Then Heinrich leaned towards me and hugged me. He lowered his eyes that were embracing the cold dawn, and slowly closed his eyes. ¡°Sister knows well, right?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± As usual, I stroked the boy¡¯s hair that was as shiny as a snow-covered silver aspen. Heinrich opened his eyes thinly and whispered. ¡°How much I love you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± It sounded more sincere because it was a confession where he couldn¡¯t even look at me. ¡°Therefore¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I will definitely become a ¡®good Heinrich¡¯.¡± Biting his lips, Heinrich whispered in a determined voice. It was not a promise to me, but rather a strong commitment to himself. ¡®Our Heinrich. How great would it be if you did.¡¯ Then Sislin wouldn¡¯t hate you, and you would only have a happy ending. ¡®Heinrich, do you know that your happiness is my greatest wish?¡¯ I replied with a bright smile. ¡°I love my baby the most too!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Heinrich¡¯s face grew redder and hotter. Oh my, it¡¯s going to explode like that. ¡°I know that well even if you don¡¯t say it.¡± ¡°Really? Then I won¡¯t say it anymore¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it! Say it as often as possible! Every day, every day!¡± It was when Heinrich was shouting, ¡°Revoke what you said about not saying it in the future, revoke it!¡± A child as small as a baby acorn ran up and said, ¡°Heinrich, Miss Mislin is calling!¡± Heinrich replied in an annoyed tone. ¡°Why is she bothering me?¡± ¡°Some terrifying villain made all the apple trees in the orchard bald!¡± Heinrich¡¯s eyes narrowed, and his expression basically said ¡®I¡¯m that villain¡¯. ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon, so wait for me, sister.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Heinrich grumbled that it was bothersome, claimed the seat next to me, and left the classroom. ¡°Whew¡­¡± Only then did I exhale. *** After a while, the next class started, but Heinrich did not return. Well, it was the apple farm that Miss Mislin loved. Heinrich picked more than 100 apples from that farm, so he deserved to be scolded. There were children like Julien who only took one. ¡®¡­But he will be back soon, right?¡¯ However, contrary to my expectations, Heinrich did not return, and I gradually began to worry as break time passed and the next class began. ¡®What¡¯s going on? The questioning seems to be longer than usual¡­¡¯ Was there a reason to have such a long questioning just because he picked too many apples? It was when I was deep in thought. ¡°Look at this!!!¡± ¡°Oh, you surprised me!¡± Suddenly, a large teddy bear brooch appeared in front of me. ¡®The teddy bear is right in front of me.¡¯ ¡°Hehe, it¡¯s cute. Annette!¡± The owner of the bear was Reina. A 9-year-old child who awakened quite early and recently went to socialization training. ¡°Isn¡¯t this a cute teddy bear?¡± A girl with blueberry-colored hair and eyes of the same color smiled lovingly with her eyes gently folded. ¡®Like a giant blueberry with a bright smile¡­ Cute.¡¯ The big blueberry, no, Reina put her hands together and said with a dreamy expression. ¡°I went to socialization training and got a present from Baron Bibibo! He¡¯s going to adopt me soon.¡± ¡°Wow, that¡¯s great Reina!¡± ¡®If it¡¯s Baron Bibibo¡­ Doesn¡¯t he have a good reputation?¡¯ They were good people to be Reina¡¯s parents. Although nobles adopt children from the Forest to set them up as trophies, there were many families who raised them with affection after adoption. If it¡¯s Baron Bibibo, Reina would be loved. ¡®Huh?¡¯ The bear¡¯s eyes were bright, and when I looked closely, I saw that they were made of sapphires. ¡°Hey. It¡¯s very expensive. This.¡± ¡°Huh? Really?¡± Reina looked at the teddy bear with a happy face. Marianne, who was watching from the side, had just approached. She usually had a blank face, and she now spoke with her characteristic quiet face and tone. ¡°¡­A bear with this eye color¡­ Legendary rare teddy bear¡­¡± ¡°Wow, I see!¡± ¡®Children, don¡¯t you all know it¡¯s a jewel?¡¯ It seemed that the mystique of the ¡®legendary rare teddy bear¡¯ was more appealing to babies than the capitalistic thoughts that jewels incite. The children quickly gathered like clouds and congratulated Raina. Robert, with wheat-colored hair and healthy tanned skin, asked; ¡°Did Reina¡¯s prospective parents give you a present for the first time?¡± Reina shrugged her shoulders. ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± ¡°Wow, that¡¯s a really precious thing.¡± ¡°Yeah! I¡¯ll cherish it!¡± ¡®If it¡¯s a sapphire bear, it should definitely be cherished. Hah. That¡¯s two months¡¯ worth of living expenses for the nobles in the capital.¡¯ I nodded, thinking a little cynically. Of course, there were things that were valuable even if they were not expensive. For example, like this one. I took a shiny, pretty apple from my pocket and smelled it. ¡°Hmm.¡± The refreshing scent of apples eased my tension and made me feel good. ¡®Haha. It¡¯s my baby¡¯s first gift.¡¯ I liked the feelings contained in this apple. The pure and kind heart that picked the prettiest apple and yielding it without hesitation. ¡®¡­Why did such a good and innocent Sislin have to suffer?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t that Sislin wanted much. It wasn¡¯t that he was greedy, wanting to enjoy something large. All I wanted was for Sislin to come out of the dark cave and to live a normal life, just like the other children. Not shivering in the cold and not sleeping. Walking under the bright sunlight. That was it. ¡®¡­But why is even such a basic and ordinary thing so difficult for Sislin?¡¯ ¡®Some people think unhappiness is the default.¡¯ Misfortune was embedded in fate, so just being normal required a lot of effort. I had seen people like that often in my past life. To be honest, I also belonged to that kind of people, so I was even more concerned. I know a little bit about that kind of life. ¡®Sislin is too young to get used to misfortune.¡¯ A life full of unhappiness since birth¡­ My heart ached as if it was on fire when I thought of Sislin, who must have suffered all this while. ¡°¡­¡­¡± It was when I was holding the apple and having gloomy thoughts. ¡°Annette.¡± A soft voice came from behind like a spring breeze. There was only one person in this world who called my name in such a voice. I turned to the boy, still holding onto the apple. Then, as if I was never depressed, I smiled warmly. ¡°Sisl, thank you so much for the apple. You know, I think this apple is the prettiest in the world!¡± Then, Sislin playfully curved his eyes, and his red, friendly eyes looked at me calmly. The boy said to me; ¡°Then I¡¯ll call Annette ¡®Apple¡¯.¡± ¡°Ugh, why am I an apple?¡± I asked, and immediately realized. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡®Did he call me apple because this apple looks the prettiest in the world?!¡¯ My face turned red because I was flustered. As expected, the obsessive Gwanggong sprout¡­! He was saying everything despite being an 11-year-old. I roughly stammered out gibberish . ¡°¡­I¡¯m not an apple, I don¡¯t like any of it, so call me rambutan or dragon fruit¡­¡± When I attached some odd-looking fruit to it, Sislin grinned. After clearing my throat, I quickly stored the apple away carefully. Then I started thinking inside. ¡®Should Sislin be aware of the situation?¡¯ Since, technically, this was something that happened to Sislin. A little devil was trying to drive him out of this Forest. ¡®It doesn¡¯t make sense that the party involved doesn¡¯t know. But¡­¡¯ Wouldn¡¯t it hurt too much? I looked at the boy, and recalled the slight trembling in my arms.(TL/N: reminder, Sislin trembled when he faced the viscount.) I couldn¡¯t predict Sislin¡¯s reaction if I were to tell him the truth. Then Sislin asked me first. ¡°Do you have something to tell me, Annette?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± He seemed to be keenly aware that I was hesitating on something. ¡°¡­Oh, uh.¡± ¡®I have to say this. Please don¡¯t get hurt too much.¡¯ I took a deep breath and quietly started speaking. ¡°Sislin, listen to me. It is no coincidence that Viscount Puterio came here.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Someone deliberately gave the Viscount your location so that he would bother you, as well as the location of the hideout to the madam.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Sislin¡¯s red eyes trembled with deep emotion. Chapter 14 *** I went with Sislin to a secret place where no one was there. And there, I explained bit by bit. The black shadow I saw in the hideout and the stories I heard when I met Madam Mimosa. Sislin quietly listened to my story without much reaction. ¡®As expected, it was better to say it.¡¯ While talking, I was convinced. It was clear that the culprit would continue to do so in the future. In such a case, it would be wiser to know in advance and respond to it than to suffer without any defense. Moreover, it would be easier for two to respond than for one. But while telling the whole story, I did not reveal the fact that there were two possible criminal candidates. It was intentional. Because I didn¡¯t want to place it on Heinrich with my mouth¡­ ¡°That¡¯s what happened, Sislin.¡± After I finished talking, I looked into Sislin¡¯s eyes. Was he very shocked? But Sislin simply replied like this. ¡°I see.¡± ¡®Huh? Is that it?¡¯ It was a reaction that felt a little dry. Even the signs of hurt that I had seen had somehow disappeared in the blink of an eye. ¡°¡­Sisl, aren¡¯t you surprised at all?¡± An answer came to my question. ¡°Everyone hates me, anyway. There¡¯s nothing strange about it.¡± The boy said so and just shifted his red eyes down. This kind of situation seemed familiar. The answer I heard suddenly hit my heart heavily. ¡°I make people angry.¡± Why did it remind me of what Sislin said in the past? ¡®Sisl. To have gotten used to being hated and hurt¡­ You¡¯re still young.¡¯ It felt like there was a heavy, prickling sensation in my chest. Without realizing it, my fists were clenched. ¡°No. I like Sisl!¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Sislin¡¯s head immediately shook and he looked at me with a surprised expression. Then, his earlobes and the nape of his neck started to heat up. I looked into the eyes and emphasized. ¡°All the children of the Forest like Sisl. Really. Everyone loves Sisl!¡± Sislin blinked with an unfamiliar expression. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°Really!¡± It was true, but even if I said it a hundred times, I didn¡¯t think he would believe it. Until he felt it himself. I grabbed Sislin¡¯s hands and looked straight into his eyes. ¡°So, whatever that person does in the future, it won¡¯t hurt at all.¡± ¡°Because there are many people who can help you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡®I wish Sislin would know that, please.¡¯ With willful eyes, I said, ¡°Of course, I will be among those who will help.¡± I felt like it wasn¡¯t good enough for some reason. I raised my fist high and emphasized it greatly. ¡°No, I¡¯m the captain!¡± Sislin¡¯s eyes immediately slanted at my courageous cry. Ruby-like eyes gently bent, he was smiling. ¡°Yes, Annette.¡± It was good. ¡°Now we just have to wait patiently. Until that naughty little kid starts acting again.¡± ¡®Just try to move somehow.¡¯ ¡®Because I¡¯ll never miss it this time.¡¯ And that naughty troublemaker did not disappoint my expectations and immediately started acting. *** ¡°Ahhh! My teddy bear is gone. Wahhh! What should I do!¡± Before the last class of the day. Reina burst into tears and cried out loud. ¡°Teddy bear? What teddy bear?¡± ¡°Legendary rare teddy bear!¡± ¡°Huh? That¡¯s the teddy bear given to you by your prospective parents!¡± The children gathered like clouds and stomped their feet together. ¡°Did you search for it thoroughly?¡± ¡°Heuk-heuk, I¡¯ve looked everywhere¡­ I put it on my desk¡­ It disappeared when I went outdoors to practice. Wahhh!¡± ¡®No, I can¡¯t believe you just put something so precious on your desk.¡¯ Was this how foreigners feel when they see Koreans leaving their laptops and wallets on the tables in caf¨¦s to go to the bathroom? But I didn¡¯t want to blame Reina. ¡®Because there hadn¡¯t been any theft in the Forest.¡¯ The children here were all so docile and kind, I couldn¡¯t even imagine anyone of them stealing from a friend. We had relatively abundant food and clothing, so everyone was not greedy. However, it was quite a big event for something to suddenly disappear in the Forest. I said with a soothing smile. ¡°I will find it. Let¡¯s go and search together, okay?¡± ¡°Uhn! Don¡¯t cry, we¡¯ll find it!¡± Julien blinked his big sky-blue eyes and raised his cute fist. I clapped my hands and said, ¡°Come on, everyone, let¡¯s play treasure hunt! Find the teddy bear brooch you saw earlier!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± At my words, the children shuffled around and started looking everywhere. Since it was called ¡®treasure hunt play,¡¯ everyone happily enjoyed looking for the bear. It was then that Julius entered the classroom. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why is it so loud?¡± He was the aristocratic etiquette class teacher and the man responsible for the socialization of Trees. After listening to me, Julius said, his deep blue eyes coolly glimmering beneath his blond hair. ¡°It¡¯s a case of theft.¡± ¡°¡­It might just be lost! Hehe.¡± ¡®Teacher, if you say it like that, the kids will be scared. Please watch it.¡¯ ¡°Annette, what is ¡®theft¡¯?¡± Julien asked with twinkling light blue eyes. ¡®Oh my, it¡¯s a baby, he can¡¯t understand because he¡¯s a baby, so he can¡¯t even be scared.¡¯ It¡¯s a relief. I lowered my eyes and smiled, stroking Julien¡¯s frizzy hair before answering. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what it means next year.¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± It was then. ¡°Ah! I found it!¡± A little boy raised a teddy bear with sapphire eyes up and shouted brightly. ¡°There was a teddy bear brooch in Sislin¡¯s locker!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± For a moment, everyone¡¯s eyes turned to Sislin. Not just Reina, whose eyes were drenched in tears, but also Heinrich and Julius. I bit my lip. ¡®It finally started.¡¯ *** ¡°This is absolutely unacceptable.¡± Madam Mimosa immediately came to the classroom and grasped the situation. ¡°My thoughts are the same as Madam Mimosa. A kleptic in a proud noble family who will lead El Dorado in the future¡­? It¡¯s terrible.¡± Julius¡¯s contemptuous gaze penetrated Sislin. Sislin lowered his eyes like a criminal. ¡°¡­¡­¡± It seemed that he was used to the situation of being unfairly criticized like this, and so my heart ached for a moment. ¡®My baby, don¡¯t get discouraged!¡¯ I stretched out my arms, blocking Sislin, and said, ¡°Sislin would never do that. Someone must have done it on purpose to make fun of him!¡± ¡°What do you think, Reina?¡± At Madam Mimosa¡¯s question, the children¡¯s eyes turned to Reina. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Reina cried, and looked at Sislin with red eyes and nose. Sislin couldn¡¯t make eye contact and lowered his gaze. The boy would think he was hated. However, the words that came out of Reina¡¯s mouth were very unexpected. ¡°I don¡¯t think Sisl took it. Maybe a house fairy was playing a joke¡­?¡± Reina was an innocent child who believed more in the pranks of the legendary fairies rather than suspecting that Sislin stole her belongings. At that moment, Julien popped out and clenched his fists and shouted; ¡°Come on! Sislin is nice!¡± ¡°Sisl is not a bad kid, sir!¡± Sasha, too, trembled and shouted like it was her job. Pink pigtails, like cotton candy, rose upwards. Then the other kids nodded their chestnut-like heads and said, ¡°Right, Sislin can¡¯t have done that, right?¡± ¡°It must have been the house fairy.¡± ¡°You idiots! You don¡¯t know that there¡¯s no such thing as a house fairy? ¡­Obviously the bald apple tree was angry and summoned the spirit!¡± Another kid who played in the water with Sislin also waved his bracken-like hands around and said; ¡°Sislin is our friend, he wouldn¡¯t take it! Teacher.¡± ¡®You are nicer, little ones.¡¯ With a tightened chest, I looked at the children scrambling to wrap around Sislin. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Sislin was looking at the children with shaking eyes that seemed a little strange, but was filled with emotion. When someone believed in him¡­ This was probably the first time he experienced it. ¡°It¡¯s no wonder, everyone hates me anyway.¡± For the boy who thought so, it would be a weird and unfamiliarly warm experience. The boy¡¯s red eyes slowly closed like a midsummer sunset. Then, his long eyelashes trembled, he seemed to have made a decision. Sislin slowly opened her mouth with clear eyes. ¡°I¡­¡± Everyone¡¯s eyes were focused on the boy. Although it was muffled, Sislin spoke with a confident voice. ¡°I never stole, Madam Mimosa.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± I was startled and covered my mouth with both hands. It was the first time. A boy who hid in the cave because it was difficult to even face other people, a boy who only shook and trembled. He now had such courage. ¡®Our Sisl, you¡¯ve improved a lot¡­¡± Suddenly, I remembered what Viscount Puterio had said. ¡°You are the lives abandoned by your parents.¡± Maybe that statement was true. That said, I didn¡¯t want to keep my mouth shut every time I was treated unfairly and crouch like a bug for the rest of my life. No matter how you were born, your life is precious. The boy was showing it. ¡®You did a great job, Sisl¡­¡¯ I was a little bit overwhelmed by the feeling I couldn¡¯t describe. Chapter 15 ¡°How can I trust what a stray cat says?¡± Julius asked Sislin with a cold face. ¡®Um, Teacher. Our Sisl mustered up courage for the first time, please be quiet.¡¯ I looked up at Madam Mimosa and Julius while holding Sislin¡¯s hand tightly and said; ¡°It would be very unfair to suspect Sislin without accurate evidence.¡± Julius frowned and retorted. ¡°Is there anything more convincing than finding the stolen item in Sislin¡¯s locker? Annette.¡± I answered while facing Madam Mimosa. ¡°You know, Madam Mimosa. It could have been someone else.¡± Madam Mimosa¡¯s golden eyes looked at me coldly. I was reminding her that there was a child here who was intentionally bothering Sislin. To make sure her thoughts reached the idea that this commotion might not be the fault of Sislin. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Soon, Madam Mimosa¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡®Will my words work?¡¯ Here, Sislin was framed as a thief, and things were getting bigger, as the little devil wanted. I do not want it to be like that. At that time, as I was nervously swallowing saliva, Madam Mimosa opened her mouth. ¡°It would be good to end this case here.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Julius¡¯s expression became distorted. On the contrary, I smiled broadly. ¡®Oh, that¡¯s good!¡¯ It would have been really unfair to suffer like this with no way to find out the identity of the little devil right now. After all, she seemed to trust me a little bit after the last ¡®water trauma¡¯ incident. So, was the build-up well done? Madam Mimosa continued speaking calmly with her characteristic strict face. ¡°Anyway, we got the item back, and Reina replied that he didn¡¯t even suspect Sislin. ¡® ¡°¡­Nonsense! Madam Mimosa.¡± Julius immediately vehemently refuted. His blue eyes darkened terribly. ¡°You can never do that. This is absolutely a case of theft, and the guy who stole something once is bound to do it again.¡± Julius¡¯ cold gaze pierced Sislin like a needle. I bit my lip inwardly. ¡®Ah, sir¡­ Please get out of here!¡¯ ¡°Once a bad person commits a robbery, he will never be able to stop. Isn¡¯t kleptomania an incurable disease? You have to cut off the sprout beforehand¡ª¡± ¡°Stop.¡± Madam Mimosa¡¯s strict and cold voice cut Julius¡¯ words off. Her expression was as hard as ice. Her distinctive golden eyes looked like a lion that would bite the nape of the opponent¡¯s neck, so even I was taken aback. Julius, who had received that gaze directly, was firmly hardened like a prey. ¡°Does Julius doubt my judgment?¡± ¡°¡­I, I just.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget that it is this Mimosa that decides everything about the Forest, Julius.¡± Julius bit his lip. He bowed his head as if he had resigned immediately. ¡°Yes, I understand, madam¡­¡± This cleared up the situation. ¡°Let¡¯s go and rest.¡± As soon as Madam Mimosa said that to the children, she immediately left the classroom. Then the mood of the children brightened. Julien was relieved too, putting his small fist to his lips and laughing. ¡°I like it because we found the bear.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, the treasure hunt was fun!¡± ¡°The treasure came out quickly and it was even more fun! Awesome!¡± The children uttered some words each, shook their heads a little, then went back to their seats and sat down. However, only Julius did not leave his seat and stayed until the end. He murmured in a low tone as he looked at Sislin with his deep blue eyes. ¡°Sislin, don¡¯t forget that your teacher is always watching you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Julius did not forget to give a cool, stinging warning. ¡®He thinks Sislin is the thief, 100%.¡¯ Even though it was all sorted out, he remained until the end and said that. He was really too much. ¡°A child who remains a disgrace to the Forest because he can¡¯t fix his kleptomania is useless. Sislin.¡± ¡°What if it¡¯s not him?¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± When I suddenly interrupted and asked a question, Julius bent his eyebrows. I asked, calmly and without agitation. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t Sislin, how would you apologize and compensate for accusing him as a thief?¡± The corners of his lips twisted. ¡°¡­You¡¯re so bright, Annette. It¡¯s cute and living. What do you mean, saying that to a teacher? There is a limit to being considered as a model student.¡± As he said that, he looked like he wanted to give me a slap. But, as a teacher, he should be a little more considerate about these issues. It should not be about ¡®stigmatizing¡¯ the child. There were a lot of really good teachers in the Forest, but at least, Julius didn¡¯t seem to be one. He looked down at me with a ridiculous expression. Anyway, these little kids would think that they couldn¡¯t help themselves. Because he is a teacher and they are children. I didn¡¯t like his attitude of judging and making decisions easily. ¡®Is there anything in the original about Julius?¡¯ I searched my brain quickly. In the first place, there wasn¡¯t much content about the Forest in the original novel, . The focus of the original was on the relationship between Heinrich and Sislin and ¡®revenge¡¯, so the amount about Madam Mimosa was naturally small, and Julius was not particularly¡­ It just mentioned that he was one of the strongest wizards on the continent (why such a wizard was teaching children in the Forest was not mentioned in the original story), and that he hated troublemakers like an ¡®etiquette¡¯ subject teacher. And¡­ ¡®Aha?¡¯ Some useful information came to mind at this point. ¡°Problem children don¡¯t usually cause just one problem, Annette. Besides, kleptomania is like a disease, so he has no choice but to live as a thief for the rest of his life.¡± ¡°Are you sure that Sisl is a thief?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, he is.¡± He smiled, but his face didn¡¯t look sad at all. ¡°Then put that ¡®ring¡¯ on Teacher¡¯s words.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± I smiled, like a child who knew nothing, and pointed to the ring he was wearing. ¡®It must be a Pluto ring.¡¯ Julius was actually from the ¡®Pluto clan¡¯, who possessed a strong talent for magic. That ring contained their spirit, and it could be summoned from anywhere by rubbing the ring¡¯s head.(TL/N: I searched about the anatomy of rings and apparently ¡®ring¡¯s head¡¯ refers to the part of the ring where there¡¯ll usually be a jewel.) The Pluto clan serves the person who has that ring as its master. So, in order not to lose his position, he had to hold on to that ring for the rest of his life. Otherwise, he would be helplessly turned into a slave. ¡°¡­You know what kind of ring this is! This is my everything!¡± When I saw his reaction, I was 100% certain that it was the ring. Lowering my eyebrows, I said; ¡°Hmm, Teacher? So, you¡¯re not even sure, but you framed Sislin?¡± ¡°¡­What, what?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t bet that ring because you¡¯re not sure. If not, why can¡¯t you bet?¡± ¡°T-That!¡± A look of embarrassment appeared on Julius¡¯ face. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but you shouldn¡¯t frame Trees recklessly. Right, guys?¡± I purposely said it out loudly to the children around me like a 12-year-old who had no sense. All of a sudden, the children¡¯s twinkling eyes turned to this direction. ¡°Ahem, hm.¡± He frowned and grunted in a loud voice. If he stepped back here, he would become a frivolous and disrespectful teacher. And that was the thing that Julius couldn¡¯t stand the most. ¡°Okay! I¡¯m confident in my opinion, but if there¡¯s a real culprit, I¡¯ll give you this ring, Annette.¡± ¡®Oh, oh.¡¯ I narrowed my eyes. Julius raised the corners of his mouth and exclaimed proudly. ¡°But you won¡¯t find the real culprit, will you? As I said, problem children are bound to cause various problems. If Sislin isn¡¯t a real thief, I¡¯ll apologize to him and become his ¡®brother¡¯. That¡¯s how confident I am!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I laughed wickedly. To the point where Julius was startled by my expression. ¡®Then try to be an 11-year-old younger brother at the age of twenty-five, Teacher.¡¯ Then I quickly replied with a wide smile. ¡°Yes! It¡¯s definitely a promise!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Julius¡¯ expression looked like he just realized he was a little too caught up in the moment. But it was already too late. ¡®Hmm, that¡¯s a huge advantage. A powerful wizard that can be summoned anywhere.¡¯ ¡®Besides, it¡¯s one that has no choice but to obey my words.¡¯ Later, when I leave the children and live a ¡®retired¡¯ life during the original, he would be a very valuable person. I rubbed my nose happily. ¡®Aren¡¯t I really looking forward to the moment of catching the real culprit?¡¯ Chapter 16 ¡°Sislin, are you okay?¡± After Julius left, I went to Sislin first. He was unfairly driven as a thief and heard all kinds of bad things. ¡®He had barely escaped from the cave.¡¯ The boy who hid because the world was scary and difficult received the cold eyes of the world again. From Sislin¡¯s point of view, it was something that could be seriously hurt. If it were me, I would want to throw everything away and run. It was possible to catch the true culprit, but it was difficult to reverse the wounds on the child¡¯s heart. Fortunately, however, Sislin looked at me and nodded calmly. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Annette.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± ¡°Yes, Annette told me. If you wait patiently, something will happen.¡± The boy smiled faintly. ¡°It didn¡¯t hurt because it was what I expected.¡± ¡®¡­Hehe, my baby is all grown up. People in the world, look at how confident my baby is!¡¯ I thought that if only Sislin could endure without feeling hurt, catching that little devil would be a breeze. With a wide smile, I said, ¡°Sisl, you did a really good job of boldly saying you didn¡¯t do it earlier!¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s my first time.¡± Sislin lowered his red eyes under his black hair, slightly embarrassed. ¡°That I said that it wasn¡¯t my fault when I was unfairly accused.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± In other instances, he must have just accepted the beating. Even if the other person stigmatized him recklessly, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to respond to anything. An unfamiliar heat hit my chest. I clenched my fists and said, ¡°¡­Sisl. From now on, I¡¯m going to be the one saying it¡¯s your fault or not. Understand?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He looked so pretty nodding his head gently, so I hugged Sislin tightly. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± For a moment, I could feel Sislin¡¯s hand in the air. The boy¡¯s small hand, which had been hesitating in the air, was carefully placed on my back. The warmth was so good. After a brief hug, we parted, and the boy¡¯s face was as red as a ripe tomato. ¡®Fufu, it¡¯s cute.¡¯ ¡°You know, Sisl! I have a good idea?¡± ¡°¡­Uh, what are you thinking?¡± At this time right now, the fact that I had a ¡®good idea¡¯ could probably only refer to that. I said with my eyes shining. ¡°I just thought of a way to catch that ¡®little devil¡¯ who was driving you into a thief.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah! But we¡¯ll have to wait a while. I don¡¯t know if he¡¯ll steal again or bother you in another way.¡± If it occurred in a different way, we would have to come up with a new plan for it. But if he steals again¡­ ¡°If something like today happens again, I think we will be able to catch him at once.¡± ¡°How?¡± Instead of answering, I just smiled and winked. ¡°Just trust me!¡± *** I went straight to Reina. Reina was tinkering with the teddy bear brooch. ¡°Reina, can I ask you something?¡± ¡°Yes! Annette is always welcome! You¡¯re welcome to ask anything!¡± Reina nodded her head eagerly with her blueberry-colored eyes shining. ¡®Active collaborators. This is good.¡¯ Thanks to this, I was able to ask the questions I was curious about the whole time without feeling burdened. ¡°Have you ever talked about that teddy bear somewhere else other than that time when you showed it off in the classroom before?¡± Obviously, Heinrich wasn¡¯t in class earlier when Reina showed off her teddy bear brooch. There was no way he could steal something he didn¡¯t even know existed and hid it. On the other hand, Vivian was in the classroom and clearly heard the bragging. ¡®So, depending on Reina¡¯s answer, the fate of the little devil candidates 1 and 2 will be different.¡¯ If Reina had not spoken elsewhere, the culprit was narrowed down to Vivian. Of the two, only Vivian knew of the existence of the bear. ¡°Umm¡­¡± Reina soon lowered her eyebrows after pondering with innocent eyes. ¡°I bragged about it to Heinrich earlier.¡± It felt like a sharp jab, like a cut. ¡°¡­Really?¡± ¡°Yes. But Heinrich told me not to be too happy. He said he received dozens of gifts like this, but no nobles actually applied for adoption¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°He said that it¡¯s just like giving a dog or a cat treats because they¡¯re cute.¡± Ah¡­ Heinrich knew it too. Right. There was a slight shadow on my face. I didn¡¯t know why, but maybe it was because Reina didn¡¯t have the answer I was looking for. ¡°Why? Are you in a bad mood, Annette?¡± ¡°Oh no!¡± I quickly changed my expression and smiled. Then I clasped both hands together. ¡°Reina will surely find a good family.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± I nodded quickly. Reina soon smiled sweetly like a flower. ¡®There is no need for such a kind child to be disappointed and hurt in advance.¡¯ In fact, in the Forest, there were a lot of cases where they went near adoptions and the deal dropped, but there were many more cases where adoptions actually took place. That was because all the Trees were wonderful and lovely. Of course, Heinrich was different. Adopting a special level 1 Awakened cost a lot of money, and it was an amount that even a noble could not easily spend. There were times when he got hurt because of it. Almost getting adopted but then the deal broke through, or being treated like a real son but then the deal dropped. I knew that was why Heinrich couldn¡¯t trust people, hated them, and only clinged to me. ¡®Poor thing¡­¡¯ I swallowed the bitterness, comforted Reina well and returned to my seat. ¡°Whew.¡± I let out a light sigh without realizing it. ¡®The moment I heard that Heinrich knew, I was disappointed without realizing it.¡¯ Unknowingly, I was hoping that Vivian was the culprit. How could I have that kind of heart while helping Sislin, who was unfairly accused of being a thief? I felt so sorry for Vivian. ¡®I¡¯m sorry, Vivian.¡¯ As I looked at the little platinum blonde head, I sincerely apologized. ¡®If I lose my objectivity and drive an innocent child to be the culprit, there is no point in helping Sislin.¡¯ Definitely, I had to think objectively. No matter how much I love Heinrich. ¡°Good.¡± I nodded my head firmly as I habitually touched the very shiny apple that Sislin gave me. ¡°Sister, what¡¯s that apple?¡± ¡°Oh, what a surprise!¡± Heinrich, who had approached me all of a sudden, shrugged his chin and smiled softly. ¡°What are you thinking, that you didn¡¯t know I¡¯m here?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I opened my eyes and looked to the side. Heinrich¡¯s slender purple eyes were like a kitten seeking attention. His smiling face was so pretty. Heinrich buried his head against my shoulder and rubbed his forehead lightly. It was his own kind of cuteness. ¡°My sister. Answer me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡®Ah, objectivity is disappearing like snow¡­!¡¯ How difficult it was to be objectively cool in front of my favorite, heuk-heuk. But I opened my eyes to keep my mind as straight as possible. ¡®This is also for Heinrich!¡¯ If Heinrich continued to do bad things to Sislin, he would eventually be found out. From then on, this life and the original would inevitably flow the same way. Sislin and Heinrich both suffered, and the thought of a distant future slowly crumbling into ruin made me shiver. Every day, I remember the nights when I fell asleep wetting my pillowcase with tears because I felt sorry for Heinrich in the original. ¡®¡­I can¡¯t let that happen, Heinrich.¡¯ ¡°Heinri, where did you go earlier?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Why did it take so long? You¡¯ve been away for a while.¡± Heinrich answered my question with a deep shrug. ¡°Ah, I was about to come back right away, but Madam Mimosa called me and we talked for a while in the room.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± In an instant, I remembered my interview with Madam Mimosa. ¡°As a procedure, I¡¯m asking all the children who come into my room.¡± She said she would speak to all the children who she suspected might have tampered with the life records. ¡­Why did Heinrich go to that room? What were they talking about for such a long time? Could it be that Madam Mimosa was suspicious of Heinrich enough to ask a lot of questions? I looked at Heinrich with slightly unsure eyes. My heart was pounding with tension. Soon, I carefully opened my mouth. ¡°What did you talk about in Madam Mimosa¡¯s room?¡± ¡°That¡­¡± Heinrich brought his head closer to mine. The tip of my nose tickled at his characteristic sweet body scent. Badump, badump. Then, with a languid voice like a little devil¡¯s, Heinrich whispered in my ear. Chapter 17 ¡°It¡¯s a secret, Sister.¡± ¡®¡­Heinrich, you¡¯re keeping secrets from me. You¡¯ve never done that before.¡¯ Heinrich winked playfully. Then I put my hands behind my head, leaned back, and vaguely smiled. ¡®Sometimes, Heinrich, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking.¡¯ Although I thought I knew everything about Heinrich, if the boy was determined to hide his heart, there was nothing I could see. ¡°It¡¯s sad.¡± I said it like I was complaining. ¡°There are some secrets that I can¡¯t tell even you, Sister.¡± Heinrich replied calmly, but my mind became a little more complicated. ¡®Heinrich, is it really you?¡¯ If it¡¯s him, then I must find out more. For his future. ¡°¡­¡­¡± I clenched my fists, placing it above my knees. After all, the situation of having to doubt Heinrich like this would soon be over. The true culprit would eventually come out. If only the little devil stole a second time. I waited quietly like a fisherman who casted a line, and immediately the opportunity came. *** It was around the afternoon of the next day when Robert called out that his toy was missing. The object was still found in Sislin¡¯s locker. I wondered if Sislin would be able to endure being under suspicion again, but as if he had already expected it, the boy calmly accepted the situation. Sislin was stronger than I expected. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Annette.¡± Julius acted like he was rather pleased about this situation. ¡°What did I say? I said problem children keep causing problems. You said you were going to reveal the true culprit, how funny.¡± ¡®What, this guy is so childish¡­ He¡¯s seriously trying to keep a 12-year-old in check.¡¯ I said with a smile. ¡°I still believe in Sislin, sir. And I believe that ring will be mine too.¡± I believe you will be my slave? ¡ªIt was the same as saying this. Julius let out an ¡°Ugh¡± for a moment before turning around with a cool face. ¡°Do whatever you want. I¡¯ll have to tell Madam Mimosa about this first¡­ She will not be so merciful the second time.¡± Then Julius left the place. Then, in this slightly chilly atmosphere, Robert opened his mouth. ¡°Did Sislin really take my toy¡­?¡± ¡°No. I did not.¡± Sislin calmly opened his red eyes that were under his black hair and answered. But Robert, with his head bowed, whispered in a trembling voice. ¡°¡­But¡­¡± I knew the words that would follow, it would be something like, ¡®My stuff came out of your locker.¡¯ Robert was a child who sided with Sislin in the first case of theft, saying, ¡®Sislin couldn¡¯t possibly have done it.¡¯ However, when the incident repeated, and he lost his own precious belongings, he could not easily cover Sislin again. ¡®That kind of reaction is normal.¡¯ Because that toy was Robert¡¯s favorite. The little devil was deliberately framing Sislane by stealing only the children¡¯s ¡®most precious¡¯ things. To isolate him from the children. ¡°¡­¡­¡± The first time could be seen as a joke, but the second time was considered a habit and theft. It was a situation where everyone could not easily excuse Sislin, so the atmosphere in the classroom was strained, which was rare. ¡°I said it¡¯s not Sislin. Let¡¯s trust Sislin.¡± I interjected. At that moment, the atmosphere was reversed and a cheerful voice rushed in. ¡°Hmm, it looks like Annette is on his side again this time. Aren¡¯t you covering him too much?¡± It was Vivian. A pretty little lady with platinum blonde hair and turquoise eyes in a pink dress. But now, her eyes were narrowed in disgust. ¡°You never know. I heard he¡¯s a slave?¡± Her long eyelashes swept down softly. ¡°The eyes of slave children turn when they see expensive things.¡± ¡°¡­Vivian!¡± ¡°Why? I was just saying what I heard.¡± Vivian crossed her arms and looked at Sislin. ¡°It¡¯s a shame that such a child is a Tree. How are we supposed to live in the forest with a child who steals?¡± ¡®She obviously hates Sislin.¡¯ This, too, was a huge find. She might hate a child who stole because she was a model student, but besides that, I felt very vivid hostility from her. Probably because of Heinrich. During our water play last time, he publicly showed that he dislikes Sislin. I tried to put up with it as much as I could. ¡°Vivian, it¡¯s not quite clear yet, so will you be careful with what you say?¡± ¡°Guys!¡± Vivian said to the children who had their heads bowed. ¡°Everyone, in the future, put your valuables in a box under your bed and lock them¡­ He could steal again.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Bang! I knocked on the desk It wasn¡¯t my intention, but a tremendous force came out, almost like thunder. Vivian had a startled look on her face. ¡°Apologize.¡± As I glared at her, the little lady stuttered in embarrassment. ¡°W-What?¡± ¡°Apologize immediately for calling him a slave and treating him like a thief.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to apologize for?!¡± Just when Vivian responded sharply with trembling turquoise eyes, the teacher came in. Even as I sat down,I constantly gave strength to my eyes and glared at her whenever our eyes met,, while she pretended not to notice and looked down at her book. I continued to shoot lasers at Vivian and fell into thoughts. ¡®¡®You¡¯ did the same thing again.¡¯ ¡®Yes, ¡®you¡¯ dug your grave.¡¯ Thanks to you, I could use this method. I was rather thankful. Although it was said that the accusation of the hideout was simply the spirit of accusation, the act of contacting a slave trader and driving him as a thief showed viciousness. It was clear what the little devil intended by framing him as a ¡®thief¡¯. Isolate Sislin from the Forest. Even Robert, who had initially covered Sislin, could no longer cover him when his own toy was gone. So, who would be the target the little devil would salivate over the most in this situation? ¡®That¡¯s right, it¡¯s me.¡¯ If even I turn away, Sislin would become a complete loner. If there was an opportunity to separate me from Sislin, I was sure the little devil would never let it go. *** I went to see Madam Mimosa before she came to the classroom. As soon as she saw me, Madam Mimosa said, ¡°I can¡¯t overlook it twice. Sislin should be punished according to the rules. He has to go to the Temple of the Forest.¡± The Temple of the Forest. It was really a place where really terrible children would be sent, and the ¡®educational¡¯ teachers there were famous for being vicious. No matter how problematic the child was, he or she would become an angel after going there. Day and night, one could hear the child¡¯s cries. ¡°But, madam, the culprit isn¡¯t Sislin.¡± ¡°How are you sure?¡± Cold golden eyes stared at me. I was nervous, but answered as calmly as possible. ¡°He put a stolen item in a locker once and he was caught, but he put it in a locker again?¡± The woman¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°If it was me, I would hide the second one under the mattress of a bed or in a secret place so that it wouldn¡¯t be noticed. But it was placed in the locker. As if he wanted it to be ¡®discovered¡¯ soon. As everyone would be able to find it.¡± ¡°¡­Hmm.¡± Madam Mimosa seemed to listen quietly to my story. ¡®I¡¯m so glad I¡¯m a good student.¡¯ She was really listening to the words of a 12-year-old child. I was affected by the hideout incident last time, but my clean image was still valid. In addition, trust was restored to a certain extent after I had resolved the ¡®water trauma¡¯. ¡°It makes sense, Annette.¡± My face suddenly brightened. ¡°But.¡± ¡­But? ¡°It is not fair to overlook this twice. Usually, in such cases, the punishment is severe.¡± ¡°This is the last time. If you give me one more chance, I¡¯ll catch the kid who did that naughty thing!¡± Madam Mimosa looked at my earnest eyes for a moment without saying a word. Then, with a slight wrinkle on her forehead, she sighed lightly and asked. ¡°¡­Do you have a plan?¡± ¡°Yes! Madam!¡± I clenched my fists tightly and nodded my head hard, my eyes twinkling. ¡°You need two things to catch a criminal. But it has to be something the kids have never seen before.¡± ¡°What the children have never seen?¡± Madam Mimosa¡¯s expression turned into one of interest. *** I got Madam Mimosa¡¯s permission and went to the locker room. And I borrowed two things. They were a fountain pen and a compass. ¡°Both of these things are old, and these are things that the current Trees have never seen before.¡± Madam Mimosa said it had never been shown to the children before. I looked down at the two objects and murmured. ¡°¡­This will be your fatal trap. You naughty child.¡± I informed Sislin of my plans in advance, and he vacated his seat at the right time. Finally, after all the classes for the day were over. I walked nervously to Sislin¡¯s locker. And took a small but deep breath. The object inside would determine who the culprit was. I closed my eyes, counted to three, and then, pop! I opened the door. ¡®It¡¯s the compass.¡¯ I expected it, but a huge shock hit my head. ¡­It was you, little devil. *** Without hesitation, I dragged Vivian to the auditorium. All the Trees and teachers were already gathered there at the call of Madam Mimosa. Heinrich, Reina, Robert, and other children of the Forest. Of course, Sislin was also there. Vivian screamed and struggled. ¡°Let me go! Why do you think I¡¯m the culprit? Sislin stole it!¡± I released the strength from the hand that was holding Vivian. Then Vivian tumbled away. Vivian, whose breathing became rough from anger, stared intensely at me. ¡°Confess, Vivian. Now.¡± I calmly said to her. Vivian wore an expression of absurdity. ¡°Your compass was stolen by Sislin. Wasn¡¯t it in his locker?¡± Then, with her characteristic nervous expression, she folded her arms and glared at me. ¡°Are you taking your anger out on me because you can¡¯t believe that Sislin stole your precious thing? Annette, you are the worst.¡± I leaned towards the angry Vivian and brought my face close to hers. And I said something¡­ Shake¨C Vivian¡¯s face became terribly distorted as if she was shocked. ¡°¡­¡­?!¡± Chapter 18 (Please take note: Annette usually narrates the scene whenever she¡¯s in it. But in this episode, the perspective/narration switches between Vivian, Annette and Julius. I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be hard to understand the story, but just putting it out here!) *** ¡°Vivian. Only you know that the compass is my treasure.¡± Annette¡¯s bright green eyes, which were always friendly, were now calm, piercing through her. She felt more dignified than any other teacher. Vivian responded with a lot of bewilderment. ¡°¡­T-That! You said it was a compass to find your parents. That¡¯s why it¡¯s so precious¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Annette¡¯s eyes were bent. ¡°I only told you that story.¡± ¡°What does that mean¡­¡± ¡°The compass wasn¡¯t even mine in the first place.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?!¡± ¡®Oh, I¡¯ve been tricked.¡¯ Vivian realized in an instant. The shock of that realization left her turquoise eyes blank, out of focus. ¡®So, you¡¯re saying that everything you said by the lake was a trap?¡¯ *** A few hours ago¨C Annette made a plan with two objects. A fountain pen and a compass. Although it was the first time she saw these things, they were going to become her most precious things from now on. Annette first went to the lake with the compass, which was the place Vivian often went. Vivian, as usual, came to the lakeside to get some fresh air, and found Annette. ¡®What is she doing here?¡¯ Vivian frowned upon seeing the older girl. ¡®This is my own spot, how unpleasant.¡¯ She was annoyed at the thought that this hateful child was in her spot. The person Heinrich liked and constantly followed. She hated it even more because she didn¡¯t know the reason. ¡®Besides, she always pretends to be nice and kind to the kids.¡¯ She didn¡¯t want to be with Annette, but she couldn¡¯t give up on sitting by the lake. So she sat next to her. ¡°Hi.¡± ¡°Oh, Vivian, how are you?¡± With pale green eyes under dazzling blonde hair, Annette smiled brightly as usual. In her hand was a small compass. At first glance, it looked like an old thing. ¡°¡­What is that?¡± ¡°Ah, this. If I go where this compass points, I¡¯ll find my family!¡± The ultimate hope of the children of the Forest had always been to meet their family. It was the greatest wish of the Trees. ¡°Hmm.¡± Vivian¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. Annette held the compass with both hands as if it was precious. ¡°So I¡¯ve been keeping it since I was a kid. If I lose this¡­ I feel like I am losing my future with my family.¡± Vivian¡¯s lips twisted upwards. ¡°Ah, I see. You must cherish it!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Vivian then secretly followed and discovered the place where Annette hid the compass. ¡®Stupid. It¡¯s a valuable item, but are you just hiding it in your locker?¡¯ ¡®You will regret it, Annette.¡¯ Vivian laughed viciously. *** Still a few hours ago¨C ¡°Sister, what is that?¡± Heinrich looked at the box I was hiding under the bed and asked. I intentionally put it in a secretive and deep spot so as to draw Heinrich¡¯s attention. ¡°Um, this? Shall I show you?¡± ¡®If I say it like this, he¡¯ll be 100% fooled¡­ I know Heinrich very well.¡¯ Unsurprisingly, Heinrich sat down on my bed with his purple eyes shining like a cat following snacks. ¡°Sister, why are you hesitating? Is there anything you can¡¯t show me? I¡¯m even more curious now¡­ Show me!¡± I laughed softly. Then I showed him the fountain pen. ¡°Voila!¡± ¡°Oh, it looks good?¡± ¡°Yes! This is my father¡¯s fountain pen. It was in my cradle when my parents abandoned me.¡± ¡°It is a precious thing to you.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± I showed the fountain pen off and gave more details. ¡°Actually, I showed it to the children several times, but Heinri hasn¡¯t seen it right?¡± It was intentional. The trick was to say, ¡®Not only you, but other children know about the existence of this fountain pen¡¯. Heinrich was quite quick-witted and clever, so I had to be careful with my words. However, for some reason, Heinrich¡¯s eyes were lowered in a sullen way. ¡°¡­Heinri? what¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Your father left such a thing. I envy you.¡± ¡®¡­Ah, I see.¡¯ Heinrich¡¯s father wouldn¡¯t have left anything behind when he abandoned him. For a moment, my heart was throbbing and hurting. ¡®I¡¯m sorry, Heinrich.¡¯ I was just thinking of deceiving you, so I didn¡¯t even think that far. Seeing Heinrich drooping as if wounded, my heart was stabbed mercilessly, and I wanted to drop everything if he was truly the culprit. ¡®But I have to do this.¡¯ It was heartbreaking, but Heinrich must be deceived as well. I decided to become a little devil myself in order to catch the little devil. After a while¨C I deliberately told Sislin to come into the classroom late during the outdoor class when the little devil was active. Then, finally, at the fateful hour, I faced the locker with a trembling heart. ¡®Did my plan work?¡¯ If it worked¡­ ¡®If what¡¯s inside is a fountain pen, then Heinrich is the culprit, and if it¡¯s a compass, then Vivian is the culprit.¡¯ I took a deep breath, counted to three in my mind, and opened Sislin¡¯s locker with all my might. Click¡ª ¡°¡­¡­!¡± An old compass that pointed to the culprit. *** With her eyes trembling, Vivian shouted. ¡°I-It¡¯s cowardly of you to set up a trap like that, Annette!¡± ¡°Why?¡± Annette spoke with dignified and cool eyes. It was a very different atmosphere from an ordinary 12-year-old. ¡°Are you the one who reported that Sislin was hiding in the ¡®Hideout¡¯?¡± Vivian, who had become anxious as Annette fiercely narrowed in, made a frown and shouted. ¡°Is it a crime to do so? In the first place, that¡¯s a violation of the rules! Why is that a sin?!¡± ¡®As expected, the true identity of that shadow was her.¡¯ Madam Mimosa, who was staring at the two of them with cold golden eyes, was naturally aware of the tattletale¡¯s identity. So Vivian couldn¡¯t have lied. Unlike Vivian, who was overly agitated, Annette had a calm face like the ripples of a lake. ¡°Are you the one who contacted the slave trader?¡± ¡°¡­Ah, ah, no?!¡± ¡®You won¡¯t know if I don¡¯t tell you anyway!¡¯ Vivian grabbed the chance and insisted. But Annette was already convinced. For the first time, Vivian felt afraid of Annette as she approached her. She was a soft and gentle girl who always smiled, like a pudding, but why was she now so scared of her? ¡®Why are you doing this to me! Stop!¡¯ But Annette didn¡¯t seem to want to stop. Like a determined feral cat, she drove the rat to the utmost corner. ¡°You clean Madam Mimosa¡¯s room. Does anyone have as good of a chance as you? You searched the life records. Then you contacted the slave trader.¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°Why did you contact the slave trader?¡± A line was drawn on Annette¡¯s beautiful forehead. It was the first time Vivian had seen such an expression on her. Because Annette always smiled at everyone. ¡°Sislin was almost taken away as a slave because of you. You know what it¡¯s like to be a slave, right?¡± ¡°T-That¡­!¡± ¡°It means he¡¯s going to be miserable for the rest of his life. Did you like your friend going through that?¡± ¡°No!¡± Tears welled up in Vivian¡¯s eyes. Eventually, she burst into tears and protested. ¡°I¡­! I didn¡¯t think that way. I just want Sislin to leave!¡± Heinrich, who had been listening quietly, frowned and finally threw a few words out. ¡°That¡¯s terrible.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Then Vivian bit her lower lip and cried. ¡°I did it for you! Because you hate Sislin!¡± Heinrich exhaled a low breath and smiled brightly. Contrary to his expression, his eyes and voice were as cold as ice. ¡°When did I want you to do something like that?¡± Vivian soon cried out in sorrow and said, ¡°You¡¯re really too much!¡± ¡°It¡¯s you who¡¯s too much, Vivian. Apologize to everyone.¡± At Annette¡¯s words, Vivian raised her head with tears still in her eyes. Madam Mimosa, Sir Julius, and other teachers¡­ Then she saw the faces of Reina and Robert, who she stole from. And Sislin. Only then did Vivian realize. How ugly she was. Vivian, with her face streaked with tears, apologized to Reina and Robert. ¡°Um, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Even the kind Reina did not tell Vivian that it was okay. She just kept staring at her with her pale purple eyes. Robert kept shaking his head. Amidst everyone¡¯s cold reaction, Vivian trembled and approached Sislin. ¡°Sislin, really¡­¡± After crying to the point her shoulders shook several times, Vivian bowed her head with a red face. ¡°Sorry!¡± Sislin looked at Vivian with dry eyes that could not control her emotions. ¡°¡­¡­¡± The boy only responded with silence, but from Vivian¡¯s point of view, the still anger was even more frightening. Then, Madam Mimosa came out. ¡°It looks like everything has been sorted out. Then I will state Vivian¡¯s punishment.¡± The cold golden eyes shone. ¡°Vivian will be whipped, and she has to live in the Temple of the Forest until she repents.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± Vivian¡¯s face suddenly turned ashen. The Temple of the Forest. It was, in effect, the highest punishment that could be given to Trees. Where the cry of a child could be heard day and night. A place with terrifying educators that were like monsters. ¡°M-Madam¡­! Please forgive me!!!¡± Vivian knelt and clung to Madam Mimosa, but to no avail. Madam Mimosa¡¯s cold expression had not changed. ¡°Forgive me just once, my, please¡­!¡± ¡°Take this child to her room. so that she can pack her things.¡± ¡°Yes, madam.¡± One of the teachers who was watching held Vivian and dragged her away. A scream was heard along with the cries of sincere remorse. ¡°Madam, madam¡­!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Meanwhile, there was a man watching the situation quietly and sweating. It was Julius. He moved slowly and hurriedly left the auditorium. *** ¡°Damn it, damn it!¡± Julius constantly glanced back as he walked down the hallway. It was to see if anyone was following. ¡®Damn it, why did Vivian do such a thing!¡¯ This time he was wrong. Also, he was wrong in front of everyone in the Forest, and so there was no turning back. ¡®But I can¡¯t give her the ring of the clan.¡¯ It wouldn¡¯t matter if he didn¡¯t keep the promises he made with a child anyway. As a teacher in charge of ¡®noble etiquette¡¯, he was careful to keep his promises whenever possible, but he just couldn¡¯t give away this ring. Because it was his everything. ¡®Yes, I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll seriously ask for it either.¡¯ It was at that time when he was running away, immersed in such thoughts. ¡°Teacher!¡± Julius¡¯ heart pounded and almost dropped at the bright voice he heard in front of him. ¡°Teacher, Teacher Julius! Where are you going in such a hurry?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± It was Annette who came from a shortcut. The child in the white dress was smiling like an angel. Chapter 19 (Please take note that like the previous episode, the perspective switches, this time it happened in the middle of a scene TT_TT so I added a note when it happened.) ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Annette.¡± As if nothing had happened, Julius laughed, but sweat was forming on his temple. At that time, Sislin belatedly appeared next to Annette. It was the boy he was certain was a problem child. It was a very nervous situation for Julius, but he decided to have a bold heart for now. ¡®Aren¡¯t I a teacher and aren¡¯t those children just trees?¡¯ ¡®These two little kids came by chance.¡¯ Julius secretly hid his left hand that was wearing the Pluto ring behind his back. Annette¡¯s eyes that were staring at his hand were somehow tenacious. The girl¡¯s eyes, which had always been soft like pudding, were now like a hawk seeking its prey. At that moment, using his right hand, Julius snapped his fingers and took their attention. ¡°I should apologize first.¡± He pretended to be a ¡®generous adult¡¯ and smiled softly. ¡®Isn¡¯t it cool to be an adult who quickly admits my mistake and apologizes to the children?¡¯ Julius, who risked his life for his authority and image as a teacher, put one hand on his chest and bowed his head to apologize. He had a very dignified appearance like a noble etiquette teacher. It didn¡¯t look humiliating at all. ¡°I apologize, Sislin.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I misunderstood you as a problem and gave you an indelible wound. This teacher is also heartbroken.¡± Julius¡¯ deep blue eyes shone with sincerity. Sislin looked up at him with his red eyes without saying anything. Seeing that reaction, Julius was quite upset. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s polite to say that it¡¯s okay if someone asks for forgiveness, Sislin.¡± Nevertheless, Julius taught the boy gently yet strictly. Like a great teacher. Then Annette, who was staring from the side, said, ¡°Sir, what about the ring?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Julius was terribly surprised, but fortunately he did not show it outwardly. ¡®There is a persistent side, this stupid rat.¡¯ Without his realization, strength entered the hand which had the ring, and his fist clenched. ¡°This is not a ring for children to play with. It¡¯s very dangerous, and it¡¯s a valuable thing to Teacher.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s a valuable thing, you should have treated it more carefully.¡± Annette resolutely held out her palm. ¡°Please. A promise is a promise.¡± There was a lovely smile in her pale green eyes as she said that. ¡°Didn¡¯t all the children of the Forest hear what Teacher promised with this ring? You have to keep your promise!¡± Gently, Annette laughed. ¡®This wretched thing!¡¯ Sislin, who was next to her, opened his mouth for some reason. ¡°Teacher, give it to her.¡± Although there were only four words in the phrase ¡®Give it to her¡¯, it made an impact as it was the words of this red-eyed child who usually spoke very little. Besides, he had a dignified appearance like a child of a nobleman. He didn¡¯t want to admit it, but Julius felt a little daunted by the atmosphere. But he smiled desperately so as not to lose his adult composure. ¡°Annette.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t give it to me, I will go and tell the children. I¡¯ll say the teacher is a liar who doesn¡¯t keep his promises.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Julius¡¯ relaxed expression instantly cracked. ¡®Damn it. Then my authority as a teacher¡­!¡± He looked down at the ring. It was a ring that had never been removed from his hand for 20 years since the day of the Pluto clan¡¯s ring presentation ceremony when he was 5 years old. He even wore it while sleeping. The ring contained his soul, and the Pluto clan dedicated it to a great man who could be their master. A ring with the power to summon him anywhere by rubbing the ring. Giving this to that little child was absurd. Julius quietly stared at Annette, whose height barely reached his waist. Then, he had a good idea. ¡®I can give it to her, then secretly steal it¡­!¡¯ ¡®Why didn¡¯t I think of that earlier?¡¯ Anyway, the little ones wouldn¡¯t even know how to ¡®bind¡¯ this ring. ¡°Good.¡± Julius took this chance and raised his eyebrows. ¡°A promise is a promise, so I¡¯ll give you this ring.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Annette¡¯s expression brightened. ¡°Instead, it¡¯s a precious thing for Teacher, so you have to keep it carefully.¡± ¡°I will, sir.¡± ¡°But it must be quite big for you.¡± Julius took the ring off with trembling hands and handed it over to Annette. ¡°Ah, maybe so?¡± Annette put the ring on her index finger and expressed pure delight. Then she whispered into the ring. ¡°Pluto Vimeria.¡± It was the spell that binds the ring. In an instant, Julius¡¯s eyes grew as big as an apple. At the same time, he stretched out his hand wildly. ¡°How do you know that, eh? No way¡­!!!¡± Whoosh¨C! (Note: It¡¯s now Annette¡¯s perspective.) At that moment, the ring lit up and shrunk to fit my finger. ¡°¡­I¡¯m really happy that the best wizard on the continent will listen to everything I say in the future.¡± In front of Julius, who had stiffened like crazy, I laughed wickedly. ¡°Thank you, Teacher!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Blink, blink. Julius just kept blinking, with an expression that seemed as if his soul had escaped. ¡®What, the ring didn¡¯t suck his soul?¡¯ I swung my hands in front of Julius¡ª wave, wave. But luckily, he seemed conscious. Seeing that he was sweating so much. ¡®Look, Teacher.¡¯ ¡®There is still another highlight left.¡¯ ¡°Sislin, Teacher is right. Since he apologized, you should answer?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Thud¡ª Sislin¡¯s hand rested on Julius¡¯ head, which had become like a stone with his body bent over. Then, pat pat, a small hand brushed over Julius¡¯s head. ¡°I¡¯ll forgive you, my brother.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± ¡°From now on, be more careful in everything.¡± It was only then that Sislin and I left the place leisurely while holding hands. The scream of Julius, who received strict life admonitions from his ¡®11-year-old brother¡¯, was belatedly heard behind our backs. ¡°Haha!¡± Sislin and I looked at each other and laughed happily. Our steps were as light as if we were flying. *** ¡°Sister, where did you go¡­ Uhhh!¡± As soon as I saw Heinrich in the dormitory, I ran to him and hugged his small body tightly. ¡°Sister¡­?¡± Heinrich, who looked a little confused, immediately faced me and hugged me tightly back. ¡°What, all of a sudden.¡± Although he said that, his voice sounded excited and his ears were burning red. Heinrich¡¯s body temperature in my arms was familiar and precious. Heinrich grumbled as if there was nothing he could do about it. ¡°Does my sister like me so much?¡± ¡°Idiot.¡± I doubted him¡­ Thinking about this, I let Heinrich go. His eyebrows rose abruptly as he checked my face. ¡°Why are you about to cry¡­? Sister, what¡¯s going on?¡± Feeling sorry for Heinrich, my eyes got wet without realizing it. Heinrich, who quickly became sensitive, gently placed his hand on my cheek. ¡°Which bastard made my sister cry? Tell me. I will kill him.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s not like that, Heinrich. Actually, I have something to confess to you.¡± ¡°Confess?¡± I sat down with Heinrich and calmly explained what had happened. I spoke about the doubts I had, to the point that I tested him with the fountain pen. It was difficult to guess what Heinrich was thinking from his expression as he was listening calmly. The purple eyes like the dawn sky beneath his silver hair were just staring at me. After I had said everything, I bowed my head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Heinrich.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for doubting you¡­ I¡¯m sure you are disappointed with me. No matter what you say, even if you get angry, I¡¯ll accept everything.¡± Heinrich pointed at himself with his index finger as he watched me express my apologies. ¡°I¡¯m most suspicious of myself too.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°Listening to you, I also felt that I seemed the most suspicious¡­ Well, because my usual behavior was kind of like that.¡± ¡®I was afraid that he would be sad¡­¡¯ I became more emotional because of his kind and good heart. Heuk-heuk, our sweet bean rice cake baby. How could I have doubted such an angelic, cute and adorable baby! ¡°I¡¯m a really bad sister.¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re the best sister in the world.¡± ¡°I misunderstood that you did something bad¡­¡± ¡°I shouldn¡¯t do bad things¡­ because my sister hates it.¡± Heinrich hugged me first. That kindness felt quite mature. ¡°And I will never be mad at you. No matter what happens, I will never be angry with you.¡± ¡°¡­Heinri.¡± ¡°So, don¡¯t worry, Sister.¡± Rather, my heart ached at the angelic response of Heinrich. ¡®My baby, I¡¯m sorry. Now I will never have any doubts about you.¡¯ I faced Heinrich and hugged him tightly. And after a while¨C Heinrich went to Vivian¡¯s room while she was packing. It was her last request before going to the Forest Temple. With a tear-soaked face, Vivian clenched her fists and glared at Heinrich. Then she cried. ¡°Heinrich, I will tell Annette everything you did!!!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Heinrich¡¯s purple eyes suddenly became cold. Like an ice cube. Ame: Double updates today! I was traveling + rushing mass updates for another novel (coincidentally, by the same author), so that¡¯s why this was delayed ^^; Chapter 20 Vivian¡¯s expression became sharp. She was mercilessly threatening to reveal all of Heinrich¡¯s secrets. However, Heinrich was just watching her quietly with his beautiful eyes. Then he spoke with a soft voice. ¡°Vivian. There seems to be some misunderstanding¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a misunderstanding!¡± Vivian shouted as if it was unfair. ¡°You, that day, you obviously told me to go to the ¡®left-most room on the third-floor¡¯. You definitely knew.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°That Sislin and Annette are hiding there¡­ Did you deliberately let me report it?¡± ¡°Vivian. I can¡¯t imagine.¡± Heinrich quietly refuted. ¡°Even if you found the hideout, you didn¡¯t have to report it, right?¡± It wasn¡¯t wrong. But Vivian wasn¡¯t going to let it go easily either. The girl who studied hard and lived as a model student was not stupid. ¡°You knew it! That I¡¯m sensitive to ¡®school rules¡¯!¡± Vivian¡¯s eyes turned red. ¡°Obviously, you, you knew I was going to report it. You were obviously inducing me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Since the time I reported it, I haven¡¯t been able to get to know Sislin. And I¡­! I!¡± Vivian shook her head and lowered her gaze. ¡°I contacted a slave trader to help you, and I even stole.¡± He never smiled at her at all. Rather, he despised her. Vivian¡¯s fists were clenched tighter. All of a sudden ¡ª sad tears fell to the floor. ¡°I¡¯ll go to Annette and tell her everything. You told me to do it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°If you hadn¡¯t taught me how to find the hideout as if you were asking me to report in the first place, I wouldn¡¯t have done stupid things.¡± Tak, tak. The boy approached Vivian with a cold face. The beautiful and cruel face she liked was pushed right in front of her nose. A mischievous smile curved the corners of his long eyes. ¡°Vivian.¡± A cruelly sweet voice. ¡°My sister will never know.¡± The brilliant purple eyes narrowed sharply. ¡°My sister hates children who do bad things¡­¡± Hup. Vivian¡¯s eyes trembled. Heinrich whispered a dangerous secret. ¡°So I have to do bad things secretly.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Heinrich, who had lost even his smile, endlessly emanated tension as sharp as needles. ¡°If you are going to tell¡­¡± This image of him was clearly captured in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m really ready to do ¡®anything¡¯ to stop it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Ah, in an instant, Vivian realized. Even though Heinrich was wearing a magic suppressor, his explosive magic was dangerous enough. And that statement was by no means a lie. For a moment, Vivian was so afraid of the boy¡¯s ¡®anything¡¯. In the end, Vivian bit her lips tearfully and vomited frustration. ¡°You¡¯re crazy, Heinrich.¡± The boy just smirked and laughed. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry you only know that now.¡± Then he straightened his body and turned around. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll trust you to keep quiet. Have a good visit to the Temple of the Forest, Vivian.¡± Heinrich¡¯s gesture, waving backwards, was light. Tak tak, tak, tak. The sound of him leaving the room echoed through the quiet hallway. *** Heinrich¡¯s expression darkened. Like today, whenever his bad temperament was discovered, his mood would always go down. ¡°¡­Annette.¡± The boy quietly called out the name of his precious one. Then his heart pounded. In the end, he did bother his sister. In fact, it was a deliberate act, teaching the hideout. As Vivian had said, he clearly knew. That she would report right away. ¡®But, I couldn¡¯t stand not doing it.¡¯ Back when Annette appeared while holding Sislin¡¯s hand, Heinrich felt extreme fear and anxiety as if the world was collapsing. He couldn¡¯t accept the emergence of a new person that Annette cared for. That was why. He did it impulsively. Of course, I didn¡¯t know that Vivian was going contact the slave dealer and steal things, but somehow¡­ Those things might be exactly what he wished for. Heinrich felt a sense of shame and staggered into the dormitory. ¡°¡­¡­¡± The dormitory, with its lights turned off, lingered in silence. Heinrich quietly went down on one knee in front of Annette¡¯s bed. Then he asked in a trembling voice. ¡°¡­Sister, are you awake?¡± ¡°My baby¡­ You¡¯re here?¡± Annette, whose pale green eyes were full of sleep, patted Heinrich¡¯s head. ¡°Heinri, go to sleep.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Heinley managed to answer and wrapped her warm hand with his two small hands. ¡®My kind sister.¡¯ Annette, the most angelic being in the world. But if the truth became known, she might hate him or leave him. ¡®Because I am not a good child to be loved.¡¯ ¡®Because this love is too much for me.¡¯ Heinrich eagerly clung to the body temperature he touched, and thought back to his first meeting with Annette. *** ¡°Your father doesn¡¯t want to see you.¡± At the age of 5, Heinrich visited his father for the first time and heard such a thing. And it was through his mother¡¯s mouth. Heinrich grew up hearing the story, ¡®Actually, your father is a great wizard¡¯, since childhood. His father is a duke who is being talked about as the ¡®next master of the Magic Tower¡¯. ¡°Mom, but why can¡¯t we see Daddy?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ Heinrich¡­ your father is busy doing great things.¡± That¡¯s right, his father was a great man. Heinrich grew up with deep respect for his father. However, at the age of 5, the moment when even the first meeting with his father was rejected, this clever child realized. That his mother was a lowly courtesan, and that her son, which was himself, was not enough to reach a noble father. His father had abandoned him even before his umbilical cord was cut. ¡°Let¡¯s go home, Heinrich.¡± His mother was looking for his father today to get enough food for just one week. After having Heinrich, she quit her courtesan job, and was doing chores to raise her son. However, she was so weak that it was difficult to earn money properly. If there was anything to eat, even a little, she fed it to Heinrich. It was only natural that her stamina was getting weaker and weaker. Tak, tak. One snowy day, Heinrich returned home while holding his skinny mother¡¯s hand. He was so hungry because he couldn¡¯t find anything to eat¡­ Snowflakes like flowers that flew that day and the footprints made alongside his mother still remained as beautiful memories. So it was difficult to understand the cold body of his mother he discovered a few days later. Heinrich was too young to understand the concept of taking one¡¯s own life; and despite his mother loving him so much, she was exhausted from life and had no way out but to make such a choice. He just thought he was abandoned. Even his mother abandoned him and left because he was not enough. It was a difficult reality for young Heinrich to bear. Afterwards, he went to visit his father alone, but all he heard was ¡®You¡¯re a seed born from a dirty body.¡¯ Heinrich was utterly desperate. After that, the broken boy flowed into the Forest. *** ¡°Let go of this! Don¡¯t even think about touching it. You bastard.¡± At the age of 10, Heinrich was an awl itself. He was pointed, angular and sharp to everyone. Even after awakening his special level 1 ability, he was always a subject of trouble. This arrogant and beautiful boy argued with the children every day. Even so, the teachers could not be reckless with the precious level 1 child. Heinrich became more and more vicious, and the more he did, the more lonely he became. Heinrich was the only one in the forest without a friend. Annette¡¯s appearance in Heinrich¡¯s life was like a shock. ¡°Hello? You¡¯re Heinrich. I¡¯m Annette. I¡¯m 11 years old.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not interested.¡± ¡°Hmm, but I am interested in you? Can¡¯t we just get along?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t play tricks and get lost!¡± Puck! When Heinrich pushed hard and stood up, the little girl fell backwards. It was obvious what would happen afterwards. She would either cry or express her hate for him. But instead of crying, this child with green eyes as warm as the spring sun smiled brightly at him. ¡°¡­Heinrich, you are amazing! You¡¯re also very strong!¡± Heinrich stopped, bewildered. ¡°How unlucky!¡± After that, the girl¡¯s behavior was the same. Even when he pushed, cursed, shoved, and annoyed, she was always by his side. She always complimented himself with a smile. How great Heinrich was, what a kind child Hein-Lee was. ¡®She¡¯s a strange kid.¡¯ Just like that, Heinrich hated Annette. That was natural. Because Heinrich didn¡¯t like anyone. He feared that if he liked someone, that person would surely abandon him and leave. Like his own mother¡­ It was best not to like anyone from the beginning. So one day, Heinrich decided to play a little prank. ¡°Hey, Annette. The lake over there is all frozen, so let¡¯s make a bet on walking across.¡± The lake was only thinly covered with ice, it wasn¡¯t frozen hard enough for children to walk on. Heinrich, knowing everything, was skeptical. But this stupid Annette smiled broadly and was happy. ¡°Yes! Okay!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s my first time playing with Heinrich!¡± ¡®She¡¯s really stupid. Isn¡¯t she crazy?¡¯ It was obvious to anyone who could see that the ice wasn¡¯t really frozen yet! Heinrich spoke to Annette, and was somehow more disturbed by her delighted face. ¡°You cross first, then come back.¡± Then he turned his back and laughed. ¡®She can¡¯t even go near the lake anyway. It¡¯s not frozen yet.¡¯ Then he would use that as an excuse. ¡®I said we should play together, but it¡¯s you who didn¡¯t play. Annette.¡¯ It was when he looked at the lake shore with that thought. ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± Annette was not on the lake shore. Upon closer inspection, he saw the little girl drowning at the edge of the lake. ¡°Hey, crazy, hey!!! Are you crazy?¡± Heinrich immediately took off his coat and jumped into the lake. Then, as the thinly frozen ice cracked, he swam through the icy water and rescued Annette. ¡°Wake up! Annette!¡± As soon as Heinrich came out of the lake, he wrapped the girl¡¯s body with his dry coat. Was she dead? What if she got hurt because of him? ¡®I didn¡¯t mean to¡­¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m really sorry¡­¡¯¡¯ It was when Heinrich was helplessly touching Annette¡¯s body, which had become as cold as a corpse, and was at a loss for what to do. Annette smiled faintly, opening her eyes. ¡°¡­Wow, is Heinrich good at swimming? That¡¯s amazing. How cool. Keuk, keuk!¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re so stupid!¡± The next day, the two suffered from the flu, side by side. And from then on, Heinrich¡¯s world changed 180 degrees. Heinrich went wherever Annette went. Whenever he ate something delicious, he always saved Annette a share. He laughed a lot, and he learned what warmth was. Heinrich occasionally asked, ¡°Sister, why are you being so nice to me?¡± Then Annette would reply with the warmest and prettiest smile in the world. ¡°That¡¯s because I love you, Heinrich. I like you the most in the world!¡± Heinrich¡¯s heart was taken over by the girl who smiled without restraint. From then on, Heinrich experienced his first crush. It was so precious that he was afraid that it would break. It was a young heart that became unbearably lonely whenever someone came in between them. He knew it was an obsession, and he knew he wasn¡¯t supposed to, but it was hard to control. That was¡­ For Heinrich, it was Annette¡¯s existence. *** ¡°Sister, the day you fell for the lake¡­ did you purposely do it for me?¡± Heinrich quietly knelt in front of the bed and whispered. ¡°¡­Why did you do that?¡± What he wanted to say¡­ ¡®I was just being mean to you. Why have you been so nice to me?¡¯ Annette didn¡¯t seem to hear Heinrich¡¯s whisper. Having had a long day today, she was just sleeping soundly. Heinrich swallowed his saliva¡ª Gulp. Confusion, guilt, and fear of being hated intertwined in the boy¡¯s eyes. With his lips slightly, the boy confessed. ¡°Sister, actually¡­ I was the one who gave Vivian the location of the hideout.¡± ¡®I¡¯m really bad.¡¯ ¡®That¡¯s why, all this time, everyone left me.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I¡¯m a bad kid¡­ I must have been born that way.¡± ¡®Sister, please don¡¯t hate me too much.¡¯ ¡®Please forgive me¡­ ¡® The night Annette slept peacefully, Heinrich confessed and cried sadly the whole time, like a child who had lost his mother¡¯s hand. Ame: Hope y¡¯all enjoyed this double update! Like I said in the previous chapter, I¡¯m travelling for a while, but I will try to still consistently upload at least twice a week. Chapter 21 ¡°¡­¡­¡± Meanwhile, there was a child who was not sleeping and was listening to this confession. It was Sislin, who took the bed next to Annette. Red eyes glowed quietly in the dark. The boy quickly closed his eyes without a sign. Then, he pretended not to notice Heinrich¡¯s sniffling and crying behind his back. *** The next day. Two notices were posted on the bulletin board this morning. ¡¸Vivian was sent to the Temple of the Forest with 45 penalty points.¡¹ The first announcement was not interesting because everyone knew it, but the second announcement caught the attention of children. ¡¸There will be a level test tomorrow. Trees, please be prepared.¡¹ ¡°Wow, level test tomorrow!¡± ¡°I hope I will be level 4 this time.¡± ¡°Sasha, what level are you now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m level 5 now¡­!¡± A young child like Julien would not be graded. The rest were all given a level, except for Sislin, who had never participated. So this would be his first level test. Sislin was reading the announcement. He was not with Annette, who was sleeping in. Then suddenly, he looked to the side. Heinrich, whose eyes were bulging like the body of a blowfish, was also reading the announcement. Sislin peered into those eyes and asked quietly. ¡°¡­Can you see the writing?¡± Heinrich, whose eyelids became puffier, barely blinked and responded sensitively. ¡°I can see enough to hit you?¡± ¡°Why are your eyes like that? Did mosquitoes only bite your eyes?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t pick a fight. I feel bad today.¡± Sislin kept his hands in his pockets and just stared at Heinrich. Slowly, Heinrich¡¯s ¡®horns¡¯ popped out. ¡°Hey, why are you looking at me like that, you bastard?¡± ¡°Why did you do that?¡± ¡°¡­What did I do?!¡± Unlike Heinrich, who jumped, Sislin spoke quietly. ¡°You are the one who informed Vivian, the hideout.¡± Heinrich¡¯s face turned pale for a moment. Soon, Heinrich asked sharply. ¡°Did you hear that?¡± Sislin¡¯s red eyes narrowed. ¡°If you didn¡¯t want to be caught, you shouldn¡¯t have told anyone. How clumsy.¡± Realizing that Sislin had heard the confession he repeated alone last night, Heinrich¡¯s face turned red and he took Sislin to an empty place. Sislin was like a gentle wave in front of the big cat who was clenching its jaw. ¡°Thanks to you, I could have been beaten up by Madam Mimosa, and maybe thrown back into the cave. It would have been a disaster without Annette.¡± Heinrich was startled. ¡®What, why are you talking so well, you bastard?¡± He had never heard him talk this much. It was better when there were fewer words from him. Then at least it wouldn¡¯t upset him. ¡°Oh, so what do you want me to do?!¡± ¡°Because of you, I almost got into trouble.¡± Heinrich felt like his conscience, which contained the regret he felt while crying all night, was hurting again. So he had no choice but to feel a little sorry for Sislin. And he got even more angry. ¡°I¡¯m not sorry at all, you know?¡± He stomped his feet. ¡°I¡¯m not sorry at all to a bastard like you! You bastard!¡± It was very strange to hear himself say, ¡®I¡¯m sorry¡¯. ¡°¡­Hmm.¡± Sislin¡¯s eyes narrowed. Heinrich¡¯s face turned red as if it would burst if poked. Gritting his teeth, he clenched his fist. ¡°If it reaches my sister, I will kill you.¡± He grinded his teeth, turning his gums purple. Then Sislin threw those words out. ¡°I won¡¯t tell her.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Sislin just stood still, not taking his hand out of his pocket. On the other hand, Heinrich¡¯s pupils trembled. ¡®Why? If it were me, I would definitely tell.¡¯ Because, if Annette found out, of course, she would hate Sislin. Then he would be able to monopolize Annette again, wasn¡¯t it a golden opportunity? Heinrich¡¯s tiny head couldn¡¯t quite understand, so he asked again. ¡°¡­Why aren¡¯t you talking?¡± Then, Sislin frowned and answered as if it was a silly question. ¡°I am not as cheap as you.¡± Heinrich uttered, ¡°Ugh.¡± He felt resentful when he heard it, but there was nothing to refute. So he was more upset. Sislin continued speaking with a calm face. ¡°And, if I say it, Annette will be sad.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The answer suddenly hit Heinrich¡¯s chest and passed. Soon after, Sislin disappeared without saying that he was going to leave. Heinrich, who was left alone, felt a sense of failure and strangeness. ¡®What? You¡¯re a beast that lived in a cave not too long ago.¡¯ ¡®You talk like you love my sister more than I do, and that you feel bad.¡¯ But he definitely felt that he loved Annette as much as he did. That was why he did it for Annette. It felt strange and peculiar, it was something complicated. ¡°If I say it, Annette will be sad.¡± ¡°Damn, shit!¡± Heinri kicked the dirt with his foot. ¡°Damn! All you did was to pretend to be cool all by yourself? How annoying!¡± He spoke as if he was going to let it go. He was pretending to be generous! ¡°Who are you to hide my secret¡­ What are you?¡± He was just grunting and getting angry like that, and Julien came running from afar. Julien, with red cheeks and twinkling big sky-blue eyes, said, ¡°Where did Sisl, Heinri?!¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s not Heinri, it¡¯s Heinrich.¡± Heinrich rolled his eyes and opened his mouth in annoyance. ¡°The beast¡­¡± ¡°No.¡± Then he stuttered, hesitating as if he was making an embarrassing confession, and then pointed his finger to the place where the Sislin had disappeared to. ¡°¡®Sislin¡¯ went that way¡­¡± Oddly enough, Heinrich felt a little sorry for calling him a ¡®beast cub.¡¯ *** In Madam Mimosa¡¯s room¨C She was talking to someone through a communication device. That ¡®someone¡¯ was a long-time supporter of the Forest, Jay. ¡°Yes, Jay. As you said, we will conduct a level test tomorrow.¡± A voice was heard from the other side, saying, ¡°It went well.¡± Then he continued asking questions about Sislin. Madam Mimosa listened quietly and answered. ¡°Yes, Sislin was almost discarded. But Annette is taking care of him now.¡± [Has Sislin improved a lot?] Jay asked. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s why Sislin is also growing into a Tree in the Forest.¡± Although the child had awakened a powerful ability, he was so sensitive that he could not be used at all. Actually, Madam Mimosa knew beforehand that someone was taking care of such a Sislin. There was obviously blood in the trap set for catching Sislin, so she had suspicions when the child¡¯s ankle was fine. It couldn¡¯t be a coincidence that one healing potion disappeared from the infirmary. Madam Mimosa was able to find out who the culprit was when she later found Annette caring for Sislin in the hideout. When Viscount Puterio came, it was also the clever Annette who led the summary trial to her advantage. ¡°You have removed all the fuzz from the peaches as requested. Thanks to you, he can eat his meal safely without allergic reactions. Thank you for your consideration, Madam Mimosa.¡± This was what the secretary, who had come to check the dishes before the summary trial, told Madam Mimosa. And she found evidence that Annette stole a basket of peaches from the food ingredients warehouse that day. ¡®She¡¯s clever¡­¡¯ In fact, the summary trial was not that important. At the time, Sislin was in a state of improvement, so if she lost the trial, she would just pay 50 million gold. Because the value of Sislin couldn¡¯t be compared to 50 million gold. However, it was very interesting that Annette cared for Sislin so much. Madam Mimosa said to Jay. ¡°Annette is creating synergy by taking care of Sislane. I¡¯m really looking forward to it.¡± [However, if Annette is not awakened, it is of no use. You know that, Madam.] Jay spoke in a slightly lowered tone. [Don¡¯t forget that Annette is the most important person in our Forest.] ¡°¡­Absolutely. She is very special.¡± A small smile crept over Madam Mimosa¡¯s wrinkled lips. ¡°I saw the child¡¯s talents clearly at every moment with my eyes that have an ¡®incantation¡¯ embedded in them.¡±[TL/N: Raws states ¡®??(??? ?? ??)¡¯ which directly translates to ¡®casting (things with magic spells)¡¯ ¨C I made an adjustment based on my understanding, and so that it wouldn¡¯t be a mouthful.] Madam Mimosa recalled the first time she and Annette had met. To be precise, the first time she encountered the child¡¯s ¡®color of soul¡¯. High-purity talent. A bright light that burned fiercely. The light was a very soft color, but it was so dazzling and beautiful that it could not be defeated by any darkness. She knew at a glance. That child was the child she had been waiting for all her life. That child was the lumber that would become the greatest Awakened in the history of the Forest. But even with that great talent, Annette had only been living quietly in the Forest. Was it because she was such a model student that there was little to be worried about? Usually, children with great talent have a ¡®unique¡¯ side like Heinrich or Sislin, but Annette always smiled and liked to take care of the children in small ways. She didn¡¯t ask for or want anything. Then, for the first time, after meeting Sislin, Annette requested something from Madam Mimosa. ¡°I¡¯ll take responsibility and fix it. Madam.¡± Annette set out to fix Sislin¡¯s water trauma, and even managed to clear his false accusation of being a thief. On the outside, Madam Mimosa continued to give Annette such chances because she was a diligent model student and she believed it. But the real reason was¡­ ¡®I am curious¡­ Very.¡¯ How would that precious child grow? ¡°As you may know, Annette is a special child above level 1.¡± She didn¡¯t know how to express it, but she was always so excited that her heart beat when she thought of Annette. ¡°And if things go well tomorrow, Annette will finally be at the peak of the Awakened. All Awakened will be squashed at the child¡¯s feet.¡± [Do you plan to do a ¡®forced awakening¡¯ in the level test tomorrow?] ¡°Yes, I decided to hurry it up.¡± If you couldn¡¯t break an egg by yourself, you have no choice but to roll the egg shell off the cliff. Madam Mimosa lifted her teaspoon and gently stirred her teacup. The blood-red tea created a small whirlpool in the teacup. She rolled her eyes and whispered. ¡°If she continues to live without awakening¡­ from our point of view, that child is as good as dead.¡± [I agree, Madam. But what if she really dies when awoken forcibly?] The cold face of Madam Mimosa immediately revealed deep desire. Then she had a cruel smile that could not be compared to anyone else. She answered quietly after swallowing a sip of tea. ¡°Well¡­ If she dies tomorrow, isn¡¯t that also her fate?¡± No matter how beautiful the flower buds that do not bloom could be, they would eventually wither and become impurities that needed to be cut off. [I look forward to tomorrow.] After that answer, the communication was cut off cleanly. The cool golden eyes of Madam Mimosa reflected in the communication device. She looked out the window and whispered softly. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to tomorrow too.¡± Ame: While I still can, here¡¯s another double update! Chapter 22 *** The next morning. All the children gathered in the ¡®Forest Hall¡¯. This mansion was built inside a huge ¡®real forest¡¯, and the entire forest surrounding the mansion was called the ¡®Forest Hall¡¯. I looked at the children gathered around like chicks. ¡®Hmm, the forest smells good. Babies are cute too.¡¯ Feeling better, I smiled and looked around and meet Sislin¡¯s eyes. ¡°Huh? Sisl! You have an earring I¡¯ve never seen before!¡± Sislin answered, fiddling with his ears as if it was awkward. ¡°Ah¡­ The teacher said is a power suppression tool¡± ¡°Wow!¡± ¡®I¡¯m so envious.¡¯ ¡®How does it feel to have an ability powerful enough to need to be suppressed?¡¯ Extras wouldn¡¯t understand it for the rest of their lives. At that moment, an arrogant voice rang out. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m tired of testing. I must be ¡®special 1¡¯ again anyway!¡± ¡°Is that so? Our Heinri is really amazing~¡± When I answered with a smile, Heinrich blushed innocently even though he boasted about it himself. ¡°Sheesh, of course. So, I will protect you for the rest of my life.¡± ¡°Ah, isn¡¯t that reassuring?¡± Heinrich put his fist to the corner of his mouth and coughed, blushing more and more. ¡°It would be better for my sister to have a strong husband than a weak husband. You know, if you marry me later, I¡¯ll be¡­¡± ¡°Annette! Annette! Look at this! Can you see this?¡± ¡°Huh? What is it, Sasha?¡± ¡°¡­Sister, if you marry me.¡± For a moment, I was distracted by Sasha, who ran like a rabbit, and I couldn¡¯t listen to Heinrich properly. ¡°Ta-da, it¡¯s a bunny bell!¡± ¡°Hey, Sasha¡¯s rabbit bell is so cute.¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯m going to run around like a rabbit!¡± ¡°Wow! So cool, Sasha!¡± ¡°¡­Who the hell am I talking to?¡± Heinrich muttered awkwardly, and Sislin, who was watching next to him, shook his head. Sasha said, clenching her fists. ¡°This time, I must go up to level 4!¡± ¡®A goal to go up by 1 level! That¡¯s a reasonable goal, Sasha.¡¯ ¡®As for my reasonable goal¡­¡¯ I scratched my cheek in embarrassment, lowered my eyebrows and smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll be happy to just stay at level 5!¡± Fortunately, I was a model student, so it was attainable based on my grades in ¡®studies¡¯ and ¡®attitude to life¡¯. Normal Awakeneds mostly stay at the lowest level, level 9. No, actually, there was no need to measure my level. ¡®Heck, it makes me sad to say it.¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s a good defense if I can stay at level 5 even with my poor talent.¡¯ At that time, while I was thinking gloomy thoughts, Miss Rose, who was always in charge of the level test, appeared. With her characteristic bright, rosy smile, she said, clapping her hands. Clap, clap! ¡°Now! The level test will be held today as announced. Did everyone receive the necklace?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Julien answered the loudest. His sky blue eyes twinkled. ¡°The Trees that have already participated in the test will know, but I¡¯ll explain again. The necklace is for ¡®safety¡¯. If it¡¯s dangerous, call me using that necklace anywhere.¡± Miss Rose raised one hand high and said cheerfully. ¡°Then Teacher will come to the rescue!¡± ¡®Huhu, I¡¯m very safe.¡¯ There was the necklace, and if I wanted to, I could summon Julius with the Pluto ring. ¡®Fufu. This test is called ¡®laying down and eating pudding¡¯.¡¯ As I was smiling happily, Miss Rose continued. ¡°The level is measured when you catch a lot of ¡®monsters¡¯! Ah! But don¡¯t worry! Monsters look very cute, and usually, they won¡¯t hurt you.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°But!¡± Miss Rose frowned and raised her index finger to emphasize. ¡°Each of you is assigned to a zone suitable for your level, so be careful not to deviate from the zone. It¡¯s dangerous to go to a high-level area by mistake! Also, Trees wearing magic suppressors must not remove it no matter what happens. Okay?¡± The rules were simple. 1. Catch a lot of monsters (the low-level monsters won¡¯t attack Trees, but high-level monsters may be different.) 2. Be active only in your area. 3. Do not remove suppressors. ¡®Hmm. The rules are the same as last time.¡¯ All the children who were gathered together had shining eyes. Each of them seemed full of will. ¡°Well then, good luck. Let¡¯s get started!¡± Beep-eep¡ª With the sound of Miss Rose¡¯s whistle, the lights flashed from the children¡¯s necklaces. At the same time, swook! The dazzling lights swallowed the children. *** ¡°Wow, I¡¯m in the same area as Annette again! I love it!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Sasha.¡± After being teleported to the lower level zone, I looked around with Sasha. The fresh smell of the forest was good, and the spring flowers in full bloom were also pretty. It was quite peaceful here. ¡°Let¡¯s work hard, Annette!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± I nodded my head vigorously. In my hand was a magic wand that was childish, like it belonged to a ¡®magical girl¡¯. It was the only weapon given to the Awakened. ¡®Heuk-heuk, it¡¯s cute but shameful.¡± That was when I was crying inside. There was a strange noise coming from my feet. ¡ªWhat? Huh? What does this mean? A terrifying monster must have appeared! As I hurriedly looked down at my feet, it was as expected. The appearance of the ¡®first monster¡¯ was¡­ slime. ¡­It was a little insignificant to be terrifying, though. It was soft and bouncy like pudding, and it came toward me and cried. ¡°Kyuu.¡± ¡®¡­Oh, I¡¯m sorry, I have to kill you!¡¯ The monsters I had to kill were so trivial that I was a little sad. However, to maintain level 5, I had to catch monsters. After I had made up my mind, I swung my magic wand with enthusiasm. ¡°Hyak!¡± As soon as the slime was hit by the magic wand, it bounced off and flew away with a ¡®Kyuuuh!¡¯ sound. ¡°Done!¡± ¡°Me too, I want to catch monsters!¡± Sasha, perhaps stimulated by my actions, ran a little deeper into the forest. I quickly followed her. How far did we run like that? We finally met a monster on the trail. It was a small mole. ¡°Kya-haha.¡± ¡­The mole was laughing in a bad way. With black eyes the size of a millet and a long nose, and while sniffing and grunting, the mole was confronting Sasha. Sasha recited a summoning spell with a serious face as if she had met a huge monster. ¡°Pelesto!¡± Ppyong! Then something was summoned. ¡®¡­The chick she summoned in class last time!¡¯ ¡ªCheep? Cheep! A yellow, baby-fist-sized chick was summoned and it tilted its head. In many ways, it was too small to fight a mole and win. Not surprisingly, the mole sniffed, twitched it¡¯s long nose, and laughed. ¡°Kikiki!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Sasha¡¯s pink cotton candy-like ponytails drooped and hung down. There was a look of disappointment on her face. ¡°¡­I think it¡¯s still too much to get a mole monster with my skills.¡± ¡°No, stay strong! you can do it! Sasha!¡± I cheered the little child on. When Sasha heard my support, her eyes became clear. Sasha looked at me and shouted, ¡°Yes!.¡± ¡°Pelesto!¡± ¡ªPeep, peep? One more chick had been added. ¡°Pelesto!¡± ¡ª Cheep, cheep, cheep, cheep. ¡°Pelesto!¡± ¡ª Peep, peep! Peep! Peep! Cheep! Soon a huge army of chicks was formed, and the mocking mole went ¡°Kk-eh!¡± He snorted and looked surprised. Sasha exclaimed while stretching her index finger. ¡°Heroes, attack!¡± Soon, the yellow chick warriors flapped their wings and shouted ¡°Cheep! Eep, eep!¡± and launched a beak peck attack, tok, tok! ¡°Ki-yaakk!¡± The mole hurriedly ran away as if in embarrassment, and then disappeared in a burst of smoke. Sasha¡¯s face filled with joy. ¡°Wow, I did it!¡± ¡°Wow, that¡¯s really cool. Well done, Sasha!¡± That was during the time when we hugged each other and rejoiced. Suddenly, my necklace floated in the air and started to emit a red light. ¡®Red?¡¯ It was the first time I had seen this kind of light. ¡°Oh, Annette?! ¡­Annette!!!¡± The last thing I saw was Sasha¡¯s startled face, then the red light swallowed me up in an instant. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± *** ¡°Ahh!¡± Boom, I fell into an unfamiliar space, my butt hitting the floor. I panicked and quickly looked around. A majestic waterfall was pouring violently in front of my eyes, and the trees were so dense and tall that they completely covered the sky. It was a place with a cold and fishy smell peculiar to a deep forest. ¡®Where am I?¡¯ First of all, it was definitely not the beginning of the forest. It was full of trees. ¡°¡­Sasha?¡± I called out her name carefully, but only the sound of the wind could be heard. It was clear that no one was around. ¡®Is there an error with the necklace?¡¯ I looked at the necklace and pondered. Would it be better to call Miss Rose right now? Normally I would have taken the safe path, but now I am wearing the Pluto ring. If something came up, I could just call Julius. ¡®There is no need to call Miss Rose for nothing and take the cowardly penalty.¡¯ If she was called and this place was also a low-level area, I probably wouldn¡¯t even be able to maintain level 5 this time. I calmly got up from my seat and brushed the dirt off my body. ¡°Okay.¡± If so, shouldn¡¯t I make a rational choice? First, I started by tearing the hem of the pants I was wearing and tying it to a tree to mark the road. Then I started moving forward. I was fully prepared ¨C holding the necklace in my left hand and ready to rub the ring with my right hand, which was holding the weapon. However, there was something I was curious about. ¡®¡­What is Sisl and Heinri doing now?¡¯ *** Heinrich was running through the deep forest. This area, created only for level 1, was a trap at every step, and at every moment, there was a risk of death. Shh¡ª Ghehehe! Then white anacondas as large as men rushed toward the boy with their mouths wide open. While running, Heinri briefly recited a spell while looking to the side. ¡°Descartes.¡± Chijijik, the dark-red sparks that rose from the boy¡¯s hand took the form of a sword in an instant. Heinrich avoided the incoming attack and neatly cut the snake¡¯s head horizontally. Whoosh! Whoo-oosh! Then, several snakes tried to wrap around Heinrich¡¯s body, but likewise, the blade of his sword cut them up like raindrops falling off leaves. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re attacking me without mercy. But you can¡¯t even brush my collar¡­¡± Heinrich swept up his silver hair, grinned and kicked the monster¡¯s body. His beautiful and arrogant purple eyes were filled with confidence. ¡°It¡¯s driving me crazy. Even if I want to lose, I am too strong to lose, right? Heh.¡± It was around the time when he was raising the corners of his lips. Suddenly, a thick thorn vine came up from the floor, wrapped around his ankle, and dragged him down to the floor. Whoosh! ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± It was a trap. As the ground crumbled, Heinrich managed to hold on to the ground with one hand, as if hanging from a cliff. ¡°Ugh.¡± He tried to shake off the vines, but he could no longer feel the flow of magic from his core. As if something was blocking the flow. ¡®Is it a monster with the attribute of magic resistance?¡¯ ¡°¡­Damn it!¡± A cold sweat ran down his back. At first glance, the collapsed ground looked quite deep. The wind blowing from below blew through Heinrich¡¯s silver hair. ¡®If I fall from here, I will be seriously injured.¡¯ ¡®Or die.¡¯ In the meantime, the thorn vine was still struggling to pull Heinrich down. ¡°Damn it! Shit! Why are these plants here!¡± Even though Heinrich clenched his teeth and endured, he was only hanging on with the strength of his hands. When his strength, which was trembling and worn away, almost reached the limit¡­ ¡®I¡¯m going to fall!¡¯ At that time, a hand suddenly popped up in front of Heinrich. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The face of the person was hard to see as he had his back against the single ray of light shining through the dense forest. Thanks to this, he narrowed his purple eyes, and only then did the face become clear through the light. Black hair as dark as the starless night, and red eyes shining with brilliance like a beast¡¯s. Somehow, this familiar yet unfortunate feeling¡­ It was a boy Heinrich knew well. ¡°Hold on.¡± Sislin waved his outstretched hand. Ame: The kids are just soooo cute! Next update will definitely be just a single chapter haha¡­ Chapter 23 This is a gentle reminder to not repost or share our translations/website link on social media. Instead, please refer your friends or people who are interested to Novel Updates, where they can then be directed to our website. Sharing the website link directly on social media puts us at higher risk of being discovered by the author/publishers and if we are, we will be forced to stop immediately. Heinrich¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What, what?! Why are you here?¡± It was a genuinely startled look. Because this was a forest where only special level 1 could enter. Sislin responded with his characteristic calm red eyes. ¡°I came here after hearing you curse.¡± ¡°¡­How do you know that?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re the only one who swears like that in the Forest, Heinrich.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Heinrich was upset. Mind breaking apart. Since there was nothing to refute, he was even more angry. As he pressed his teeth together, he suddenly raised an eyebrow. ¡°But, you heard my voice? You must have been very far away.¡± ¡°I have good hearing.¡± ¡®¡­What the hell are you saying, you bastard.¡¯ The special level 1 area was very deep in the forest, so it was quite far from the beginner¡¯s area for those without a level. But he came all the way here? ¡°You can¡¯t just come in here and do stuff like that. It¡¯s a one-way ticket to the underworld for a weakling like you.¡± Sislin responded bluntly. ¡°As you can see, I¡¯m alive. I¡¯m perfectly fine.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± That¡¯s true. As Heinrich looked up at Sislin with suspicious eyes, annoyance crept into Sislin¡¯s face. ¡°So when are you coming up?¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¡°If I had known that you would have so much energy, I wouldn¡¯t have come to save you.¡± At this, Heinrich was furious. ¡°Hey! Who wants you to save me? Do you think I¡¯ll get help from you?!¡± ¡°Never mind if you don¡¯t want to.¡± Sislin took his hand back without any hesitation and turned around, stuffing it in his pocket. ¡®Damn, how filthy cool.¡¯(TL/N: somehow MTL translated it as ¡®so/ damn cool¡¯ but ¡®???¡¯ means something like ¡®dirty/ filthy/ awful/ terrible¡¯¡­ in other words, Heinrich was praising Sislin in his usual grumpy manner hahaha.) With a little redness in his ears, Heinrich muttered. ¡°¡­You have to ask twice, you heartless bastard.¡± Sislin clicked his tongue in annoyance, then extended his hand again. Clench¨C Heinrich grabbed his hand and climbed up. *** ¡°Ugh, the forest is so eerie¡­¡± I was walking through a maze-like forest. Even if I walked and walked, it was the same forest. Amazingly, similar types of trees continued to appear. ¡®And there is not even a single flower.¡¯ ¡®Heck, why is it so desolate?¡¯ ¡®I should quickly hunt just enough to get level 5 and go out.¡¯ But it was a very difficult situation because I couldn¡¯t see any monsters. ¡®At this rate, if the sun goes down like this, there¡¯ll be big trouble¡­¡¯ Hmmm, should I provoke them first? There were monsters that respond to sounds, so I might be able to call them out first. ¡°Good.¡± With great determination, I shouted, wielding the biggest weapon I had (a little magic wand). ¡°Come out! I will defeat you all!¡± It was then. The forest swayed, and thump, thump; the earth began to ring. Surprised, the birds spread their wings and flew away. Soon after, a huge monster appeared through the dense forest. ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± ¡®Oh my, teacher¡­ what?!¡¯ The monster was like a giant slime or giant jelly monster. It had eyes, nose, and mouth, but its body was not properly shaped and somewhat transparent. It¡¯s face looked pretty stupid, but the overwhelming sense of intimidation it exuded because of his oversized body was great. Before long, the monster roared in a stern, low voice. ¡°Koong¡ªya!¡± ¡®It¡¯s an insignificant cry¡­¡¯ But¡­ It was too big and a little scary. I trembled, grabbing the magic wand and taking a step backwards. Then I suddenly realized it. ¡®No, maybe it¡¯s a chance?¡¯ I suddenly thought that there was no way the teacher could have matched a dangerous monster as I was just a level 5 Awakened. It looked similar to a slime, so shouldn¡¯t it be treated similarly? ¡°Koong-ya~¡± ¡®Besides, it¡¯s crying so stupidly.¡¯ ¡®All right, let¡¯s do it. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s as strong as it looks!¡¯ I swallowed a gulp and swung my magic wand towards the monster with all my might. But¨C Damn!!! ¡®It¡¯s surprisingly hard?!¡¯ The magic wand that hit the monster completely broke in half. ¡°¡­Koong-ya?¡± Then the monster looked down at me. Gulp¨C I automatically swallowed saliva. ¡°¡­Oh no, that¡¯s not it. Please calm down!¡± ¡°Koong? Koong-ya?¡± It¡¯s a simple repetition of words, but it hit me. Do you want to die? Do you want to be buried? Do you want to eat ritual food behind the folding screen at the age of 12? But then, something surprisingly started happening. As the body of the mushy monster changed, it began to take on a clear shape. In an instant, its body hardened, and it had brittle hair, teeth that seemed to break in half if it bit anything, and dark red eyes. Slime-like saliva dripped from its mouth. ¡°Grrrr¡­¡± To anyone looking at it, this one was most definitely a ¡®monster¡¯. I looked at it with eyes filled with astonishment. Crazy, damn crazy! ¡°Ahhhhhh!!!¡± Ahh! Help me! With my mouth wide open, I started running desperately to avoid the monster charging towards me. If caught, I would be bitten by those teeth or torn to pieces. I knew without having to experience it. Fortunately, I was small and slender, and the forest was thick, which hindered the movement of the monster. Using this gap, I desperately hid behind a rock. ¡°Heh heh, heh¡­¡± Then I quickly picked up the necklace and shouted. ¡°Teacher! Teacher Rose! Help me, right now!!!¡± But it was strange. There was no response from the necklace. It had lost its shine and drooped over my hand, just like a normal necklace. ¡®The necklace doesn¡¯t work!¡¯ A cold sweat was running down my back. Just then, the monster¡¯s huge front paws smashed down the rock I had hidden myself behind. Bang!!! *** Heinrich, who was dramatically rescued from the pit, dusted himself off and said, ¡°Beast, I can assure you that a weakling like you can¡¯t last even five minutes here. It would be better to leave quickly.¡± ¡°Are you worried about me?¡± In response to Sislin¡¯s expressionless question, Heinrich responded by widening his eyes to convey ¡®contempt, extreme hatred, and absurdity¡¯. ¡°¡­Are you crazy?¡± ¡°If not, nevermind.¡± ¡°And you, if you think that I will be grateful to you for saving me, you are mistaken.¡± Heinrich said seriously. ¡°I am not thankful at all. I don¡¯t appreciate it like how I don¡¯t appreciate baby dragon poop, you know?¡± Those words sounded strangely and slightly grateful, so Sislin raised his eyebrows and walked forward first. ¡°¡­Are you ignoring me again? Hurry up and get out of here! I won¡¯t protect you even if it¡¯s dangerous.¡± Step, step¨C When Sislin continued to ignore him and move forward, Heinrich walked along and asked curiously. ¡°Hey, by the way, what¡¯s your awakening ability?¡± It was then. Sislin¡¯s eyes shone sharply as he turned his head toward the wind and whispered. ¡°Annette¡­¡± In an instant, Sislin leaped off the ground like a spring and started running. ¡°Hey, where are you going so suddenly?!¡± Heinrich, who felt something unusual from the way Sislin recited the name, followed him fiercely. The two boys ran at full speed, and as they ran, the forest darkened and deepened. Powered by the name ¡®Annette¡¯, the boys ran like crazy and finally came face to face with her. *** ¡°Krrrr¡­!¡± I was completely lost in thought in front of the monster. The monster¡¯s earlier attack was barely avoided by swiftly rolling to the side, but it was clear that luck would no longer follow. The monster¡¯s dark red eyes were so sharp and menacing that they could tear a little girl to pieces. ¡®Julius, I need to call Julius, right now¡­¡¯ But I couldn¡¯t even move. It felt like my whole body had turned into plaster, with only my jaw trembling because of the monster¡¯s presence. My fingers were stiff. Perhaps this was the monster¡¯s ability. I exchanged glances with the monster, my body not moving, like a prey wrapped in a spider¡¯s web. ¡°Ahhhhhh!!!¡± At that moment, the movement of the monster¡¯s huge hind legs could be heard, seemingly about to trample on me. A thunderous cry pierced through. ¡°Sister!¡± Heinrich¡¯s eyes met mine, which were frightened. Heinrich reached out towards me and fired at full speed. The dark red magic that spurted from the boy¡¯s body flooded in a terrifying way. However, he, who had to wear a suppressor, faced limitations. ¡®It¡¯ll be late.¡¯ Heinrich, realizing this, squeezed his eyes shut once and reopened them. It was then. Bam! Next to him, there was another figure that struck like lightning. It was Sislin. Sislin forcefully ripped the magic suppressor stuck in his ear. Drops of red blood dripped along the side of his ear and flew through the air. He gathered all his strength. At the same time as the pattern of ¡®Mephisto¡¯ that cursed the boy appeared on the boy¡¯s neck and cheeks, a huge black force flew out from behind him. Shiiik¡ª iiiiikkkk! The black spirits outpaced each other like the fin of an anglerfish, twisting its body, and sprinted towards me like crazy. However, the distance between us was considerable. The outcome could not be predicted. ¡®I¡¯m going to die.¡¯ Frightened, I came to that conclusion¡­ Then there was a voice that emanated clearly in my mind. [You are the chosen child. Call me.] ¡­Who? No, it didn¡¯t matter who it was. I just wanted to get help from anyone. In a situation like this where death was just around the corner. I earnestly replied to the mystery whisper which I couldn¡¯t identify. ¡®I¡¯ll call you, please, tell me your name!¡¯ [You already know our names.] ¡®I already know?¡¯ The moment I asked, there was a name that was engraved in my mind as if it was carved, it was vivid like a lie. The owner of the name was the mother and father of all Awakened. A sublime and great source of power. The god of all powers and the supreme king of wizards. I shouted the name that was beating in my head like a thunderbolt. ¡°Ex¨®rd?um!¡± *** Then, in an instant, something amazing happened. Chapter 24 ¡°¡­¡­!¡± With a flash, a powerful force erupted from Annette¡¯s small body. The white light pouring from her instantly pierced the monster and annihilated it. Just as Sislin¡¯s black power reached it, it was entangled with the white light and fell like a wave with a tremendous roar. Thud¨C It was then that Annette¡¯s small body, which was floating in the air, fell to the ground. ¡°Annette!¡± ¡°Sister!¡± The two boys rushed over, calling Annette¡¯s name in a frenzy. As soon as Heinrich saw the collapsed Annette, he burst into tears. ¡°Sister, please come to your senses!¡± At that moment, Sislin, who was carefully examining Annette¡¯s face, said, ¡°She fell asleep.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Annette, she¡¯s just asleep.¡± Both boys knew that great exhaustion came after awakening. When they looked again, Annette was asleep ¨C her small cherry-like lips slightly opened, steadily breathing. She looked just like a tired baby rabbit. ¡°¡­Ha, that¡¯s good.¡± Only then did Heinrich feel a little relieved, bowed his head, and sighed. However, his surprised heart had not yet calmed down, so he narrowed his eyes and said. ¡°Did you see that? It was such a great power. It felt stronger than when I awakened. What kind of power did she awaken?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Sislin answered silently and looked down at the sleeping Annette. His eyes had a slightly complicated look in them because he was worried about the girl. ¡®Can Annette handle it?¡¯ He knew that gaining this ability would greatly change her life. Sislin immediately lowered his eyes, looked away and glanced at the necklace. ¡°Is her necklace broken too?¡± ¡°Huh? The necklace?¡­What the heck, it¡¯s just a bunch of scrap metal.¡± Heinrich frowned and looked at the necklace that had lost its light. ¡°Why is this like that?¡± ¡°Strange. All three of us have broken necklaces.¡± ¡°¡­Yes. Come to think of it, isn¡¯t it strange that she¡¯s in such a dangerous area?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Sislin silently picked up Annette¡¯s body and hugged her. ¡°What? Where are you going to take her?¡± ¡°It will take a long time for the teachers to find us.¡± ¡°So what?¡± ¡°It¡¯s dangerous for us to get out of here on our own. It¡¯s a very deep part of the forest and it¡¯s easy to get lost when the sun goes down. Until then, we need to move Annette to a safe place. Let¡¯s go to the ¡®cave¡¯.¡± The ¡®cave¡¯ was a kind of safe area for the children taking level tests. Usually, a teacher was dispatched when a Tree was in danger. But the cave was prepared for an unexpected accident. As the high-level area was dangerous, everything had been prepared to ensure the safety of the children. In the current situation, the magic suppressor has become a kind of GPS. Heinrich¡¯s eyes shifted upward, as if he was uncomfortable. ¡°¡­You, but why are you hugging my sister? I¡¯ll hold her, get lost.¡± Heinrich strode over and swung Annette out of Sislin¡¯s arms. However, Sislin walked quietly and silently snatched Annette back into a hug within a second. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Whoosh! Heinrich took Annette back straight away again, like a greedy cat trying to eat a snack alone. A second later, like lightning, Sislin was hugging Annette again. ¡°Hey, you bastard. Don¡¯t hug my sister with that sneaky look on your face!¡± ¡°Your expression is sneakier.¡± ¡°I will hug my sister!¡± Swoosh, woosh. Annette¡¯s position changed several times during the journey to the cave. However, in the midst of that, the two boys were extremely careful, fearing that she might shake and wake up, so Annette was able to sleep peacefully, as if lying on a feather bed. *** ¡°It¡¯s a cave with a safety barrier.¡± ¡°Hah¡­¡± As soon as they entered the cave, Heinrich sat down with his head bowed. Sislin carefully checked the inside of the cave to see if there was anything dangerous. There was a bit of moist air that was typical of caves, but it generally felt comfortable. ¡°Let¡¯s make the bed first. Take off your clothes.¡± Sislin said so to Heinrich as he took off his clothes. Then he picked up a bunch of leaves and stems in front of the cave. He placed them closely to make a cot and laid his outerwear on it. Normally, he wouldn¡¯t have listened to Sislin, but Heinrich followed without a fuss because it was for Annette. ¡°Sister, don¡¯t be cold.¡± Heinrich took off his coat and covered her with it. Then, looking at the sleeping Annette, he secretly blushed. ¡°Sister, you¡¯re so cute like a rabbit.¡± ¡°Stop it, and follow me.¡± Heinrich frowned in dissatisfaction at Sislin¡¯s words. ¡°Where?¡± ¡°We need to find something to eat. We need water to drink and we need to look around.¡± ¡°Ugh, I¡¯m not leaving Sister behind? You go. I won¡¯t move even a single step from here.¡± Heinrich grabbed Annette¡¯s hand while she was asleep and, pakk! It was quickly slapped away. As they clashed, Sislin said with an expressionless face. ¡°It will take me a long time because I don¡¯t have enough hands on my own. I have to come back quickly. Annette will be hungry when she wakes up.¡± When Sislin said that Annette would be hungry, Heinrich¡¯s eyebrows went up. ¡°¡­Damn it.¡± ¡°When you had your first awakening, you were very hungry. Did you forget?¡± Usually, it would consume a lot of mental and physical strength, so they would fall asleep immediately as if their power was turned off, and would suffer from hunger from the moment they wake up. Recalling his own experience, Heinrich sighed and stood up. ¡°¡­I can¡¯t help it, because I don¡¯t want Sister to be hungry. There¡¯s a safety barrier here, so beasts won¡¯t be able to enter, right?¡± ¡°Yes. I checked.¡± Heinrich was somewhat anxious even after hearing the answer, so he checked the barrier with his own magic several times. Then he picked up a suitable stone. Sislin, who was watching, urged. ¡°We should find it and come back before the sun goes down.¡± ¡°You ignorant bastard. Won¡¯t Sister be worried when she wakes up? You have to leave a message.¡± That¡¯s true. Sislin watched Heinrich silently writing on the wall. The content was a lovely message with the words ¡®I love you Sister¡¯ written at the end. Sislin, who was silently reading the message next to Heinrich, said, ¡°¡­Write about me too.¡± ¡°Tsk.¡± As if it was annoying, Heinrich briefly added the content about Sislin in a bizarre-looking font. ¡°Are you ready?¡± Sislin looked at the words carefully and thought about it, then nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go quickly.¡± The two boys then left the cave. *** At the same time, the worried teachers of the Forest gathered in one place. ¡°We have to go find the children now, they must be in danger!¡± ¡°Calm down, Miss Rose. First of all, we need to figure out the situation together.¡± ¡°Ahhh, the children must be waiting for me¡­!¡± Rose, who was in charge of the test, covered her face with both hands and lowered her head in despair. Obviously, she heard Annette¡¯s scream of ¡®Help me!¡¯ through the necklace. However, she could not respond to the child¡¯s request for help. It was because suddenly the necklace magic tool didn¡¯t listen. The magic tool was enchanted with a spell that would transport Rose to the location, but somehow, it lost its light and became useless. Rose, who had a strong sense of responsibility over the well-being of the children, looked very distressed. ¡°Surely, I have to go first by myself! Madam Mimosa, please allow me.¡± With a cool energy in his deep blue eyes, Julius restrained her. ¡°They must have found a safe place, Rose. And even if you go to find them, you¡¯re alone, the ¡®Forest Hall¡¯ is wide and deep, so it¡¯s useless.¡± ¡°But¡­!¡± Rose¡¯s eyes trembled. At that moment, Madam Mimosa, who was listening quietly, opened her mouth. ¡°Coincidentally, only the necklaces of those three children are broken?¡± Rose answered. ¡°Yes, Madam. I checked all the necklaces of the other children who returned and they were all fine.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Mimosa¡¯s eyes darkened. How could this have happened? Heinrich, Annette, and Sislin. Of all things, only the Trees she was paying close attention to disappear? In fact, only the most important children in the Forest had disappeared. Wasn¡¯t it a real disappointment? ¡®This is totally an unexpected accident.¡¯ There was a crease in Madam Mimosa¡¯s forehead. It was in her plan to move Annette to a high-level testing site in the middle, but it was never intentional to break the necklace. However, the children suddenly lost contact. Moreover, in the forest. She couldn¡¯t lose the children like this. ¡­In particular, Annette. Soon, Madam Mimosa opened her mouth. A calm, stern voice filled the drawing room. ¡°From now on, do your best to find the children. When it gets dark, take a torch and search everywhere. Do not leave even a single corner unsearched!¡± ¡°Yes, Madam!¡± The teachers all bowed their heads in unison. ¡°These three Trees are the most precious treasures of our Forest.¡± Golden eyes shone sharply. ¡°You must find them.¡± Each teacher played a role. Rose and the other teachers decided to divide the testing area and search (Rose volunteered for the deepest and most rugged area), and Julius decided to stay in the woods to look after the restless children. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Finally, the drawing room was quiet. Madam Mimosa picked up the little green box on the table. Annette¡¯s initials were engraved on the box. It was a gift for the child. A gift for the best and greatest Tree that had awakened and returned. ¡®She wouldn¡¯t have died. That child. My gut is telling me so.¡¯ She had this strangely strong belief. But even at this moment, there was one thing she wasn¡¯t really sure of. ¡®Did Annette awaken?¡¯ If she had awakened, her life would change 180 degrees from now on. ¡®So, please show me a wonderful Tree in an awakened state.¡¯ But first, she should come back to her arms. Certainly¡­ With eyes tangled with anxiety and anticipation, Madam Mimosa looked out the window.anticipation. ¡®Where are you, Annette?¡¯ *** Drip, drip¡ª Cold drops of water fell on my cheeks, stirring me from my slumber. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Why was I sleeping? What happened? I entered the scary forest and met a strange monster that cried ¡®Koong-ya¡ª¡¯. And, I awakened. ¡­Awakening? Me, who had no talents? I furrowed my eyebrows. No, it¡¯s probably a dream. It must be a dream. Because I went through such a terrible thing, and above all, there was no way I was an Awakened. ¡®It¡¯s a dog¡¯s dream, so when I wake up again, I will come back to reality, right?¡¯ It was when I turned around and tried to go back to sleep. A voice whispered softly in my ear. [Look at these luscious cheeks. Are all children¡¯s cheeks like this? It¡¯s white and fluffy like bread made with glutinous rice flour. ] ¡­What? Glutinous rice? Subsequently, I felt a finger pressing on my cheeks, poke poke. ¡®Um, what are you doing?¡¯ ¡®My cheekbones aren¡¯t public slimes.¡¯ ¡®Who the hell is doing this?¡¯ The fingers were getting more and more aggressive, and now they were pressing at my cheeks freely. As if pressing freshly baked bread. [¡­Cute.] ¡®Heuk-heuk, I¡¯m going to get crushed like this.¡¯ I quietly opened my eyes to see who was pressing my cheeks. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Then, I was startled. Oscar Chapter 1January 25, 2022In ¡°Oscar¡± Oscar Chapter [3] Part [1]March 3, 2022In ¡°Oscar¡± Chapter 25 I definitely felt pressure on my cheek? Why was there no one around? ¡°¡­Is it a dream?¡± But the feeling on my cheek was too vivid to be a dream. ¡®And, where am I?¡¯ I was confused because I was in a cave with walls all around me, and just as I was looking around, the memories of before I fainted suddenly rushed into me. ¡°Ex¨®rd?um!¡± I covered both cheeks with my hands and shouted, ¡°I didn¡¯t wake up from a dream?!¡± It was reality. When thinking of it as a dream, the explosive power felt at the moment of awakening came to mind very vividly. Even the memory of the brilliant white light that enveloped me. I was frustrated because I couldn¡¯t even summon a little chick. I was a model student forever at level 5! ¡­But really, am I an Awakened? This was really, really¡­ ¡°It¡¯s so cool!¡± I rubbed my nose and laughed. ¡°¡­It¡¯s a bit of a burden, though.¡± This was because when I retired from the original work, I would like to go to the countryside and open a small bakery to make a living. ¡®Can a bakery owner turn monsters into powder?¡¯ In its own way, it seemed like a unique bakery owner. ¡®Maybe it¡¯ll be fine. ¡® As I pondered and nodded my head, a message written on the wall of the cave caught my eye. Heinrich¡¯s message, in pretty writing, was clearly written with great care on the uneven wall. ¡¸I¡¯ll go get something delicious outside. While Sister is sleeping comfortably. I love you, Sister. You know that, right? From, Sister¡¯s kind and cute Heinri!¡¹ ¡°Cute¡­¡± As I read the text with a happy smile, a message written in a bizarre font like a writhing earthworm next to the clear text caught my eye. ¡¸I went with the young beast. ¡¹ ¡°¡­Hmm.¡± Both must have been written by Heinrich, but the difference in mood was huge. So, when I collapsed after I awakened, the children must have brought me to this cave. On one side of the cave, a carefully made bed could be seen. ¡®We will be going back to the Forest soon anyway. But they made all those things.¡¯ I could easily call Julius with the ring once Sislin and Heinrich returned. ¡®The latest (?) wizard wagon will come to pick us up.¡¯ I smiled contentedly. ¡®Wizard slaves are useful in many ways.¡¯ It was then that a familiar voice was heard in my ear. [¡­The cave is safe, so stay for a while. It¡¯s dangerous to go back like this, sweetheart.] ¡°¡­What?¡± Surprised, I looked around, but there was no one there. I guessed it wasn¡¯t a dream that someone whispered ¡®glutinous rice¡¯ in my ear earlier! I asked urgently. ¡°Who are you? You¡¯re the one who helped me to awaken earlier, right?¡± But unfortunately, the other party left only its voice and disappeared. ¡°Ah, come back¡­!¡± It was during the time when I was troubled over how to catch the voice I heard in my head. ¡°Sister!¡± From the entrance of the cave, Heinrich ran and hugged me, dropping the firewood he was carrying onto the ground. Behind him, I saw Sislin carrying loads of food and water. ¡°Annette.¡± ¡°Heinrich, Sislin!¡± I was so happy that I stomped my feet. ¡°Sister, are you okay?¡± Heinrich asked. Sislin came to my side and gave me a very worried look. ¡®Heuk-heuk, my babies were worried about me.¡¯ I smiled broadly and nodded vigorously. ¡°Yes!¡± Of course, I heard a suspicious voice a while ago, but somehow, I didn¡¯t want to say it. It seemed like it would only cause them worry, and above all else, the story about awakening was still vague, so I wanted to exercise caution and share it only when it became clear. Clenching my fists and raising my hands high up to give the boys peace of mind, I declared, ¡°I have a lot of energy!¡± It was then. Rumbling¡ª Thunder was heard from below. ¡°Oh¡­¡± As I blushed and grabbed my belly, the two boys burst out laughing at the same time. After a while¨C We made a small fire in the cave and had dinner. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s really delicious. It¡¯s so delicious!¡± Ah, I didn¡¯t even season the meat, but why is it so delicious? It wasn¡¯t a special feast. Next to Sislin, who was silently grilling meat, Heinrich smirked. ¡°Sister, eat a lot. You¡¯ll feel hungry after awakening. Okay?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Then he instructed Sislin. ¡°Grill it a little more.¡± Sislin involuntarily grilled the meat and struck back. ¡°You eat well in many ways. Eat meat well, and shamelessly order well.¡¯ Ignoring him, Heinrich said, ¡°It¡¯s like camping, and it¡¯s fun, right? I¡¯ve always wanted to go on a picnic with Sister.¡± His purple eyes gently curved, as if he was excited. I also felt good in the romantic atmosphere. ¡°Yes, I like it.¡± ¡°Annette. Can you call Julius after eating?¡± I thought deeply about Sislin¡¯s question and said, ¡°Hmm~ Well. Shall we stay here for one more day? It¡¯s like camping!¡± ¡®That voice in my head is unfamiliar, but¡­¡¯ It was the voice that awakened me, I didn¡¯t think it would give me advice that would harm me. So I thought it would be better to spend at least tonight in this cave. Heinrich raised his hand. ¡°I agree! This cave is comfortable and somehow, I like it.¡± Sislin, who was doing all the chores by himself, shrugged, transferring only the most ripe blueberries to my plate. It meant agreement. *** All of a sudden in the middle of the night. The inside of the cave was filled with only the sounds of children sleeping soundly. At this moment, there was a voice whispering in Annette¡¯s ear, waking her, who was having a good night¡¯s sleep. ¡°Annette.¡± Whisper, whisper. ¡°¡­Yes?¡± Annette woke up from her sleep to see a boy she had never seen before. Gray eyes and hair shining white enough to feel sacred. His eyes shone like stars in the night sky. ¡®Are you an angel?¡¯ While I was blankly thinking that, the boy whispered softly. ¡°Hi.¡± ¡°¡­Hi?¡± ¡°I am the guide, ¡®X¡¯. I¡¯m here to tell you something about your ¡®ability¡¯.¡± The boy smiled and held out his hand to me. ¡°Would you like to come with me?¡± The whispering voice was sweet like cotton candy. I glanced at the boy¡¯s outstretched hand. ¡®You¡¯re going to teach me about my powers?¡¯ The boy who appeared at dawn, which was darkly colored by the moonlight, was so mysterious that somehow the whole situation felt like a dream. The boy answered with a strangely inanimate face. ¡°Yes. You¡¯ll learn a lot.¡± ¡®Ah, did you just answer? The words in my head¡­?¡± ¡°Because I can read your mind.¡± The boy who introduced himself as ¡®X¡¯ smiled faintly. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± I blinked in surprise. Could I follow him? But the voice who helped me awaken told me to stay in the cave. Then there was a voice running through my mind. It was the voice that warned me. [The child is our guide.] It meant it was safe. Gulp¨C I swallowed my saliva, suppressed the rising apprehension, and slowly took the guide boy¡¯s hand. His hands were neither warm nor cold. ¡°I must return soon. If Heinrich and Sislin wake up and I¡¯m not around, they¡¯ll be worried.¡± Gently, the boy smiled silently and walked ahead. I quickly followed the boy out of the cave. And as soon as I took a step out, I was amazed. ¡®Wow. Was it this pretty here?¡¯ The scenery outside was so beautiful that I truly admired it. In the dawn, dense groups of little spirits were flying in the landscape that I thought was bleak. It was romantic like fireflies embroidered in the night sky. Pfft¨C Seeing the spirits flying towards the back of my nose, I smiled slightly. ¡°Hi?¡± As I said hello, the spirits flew into the sky in groups like storm water forming a tornado. Here, both the sky and the earth twinkled at night. The boy walked faster than me, but he stopped occasionally and waited for me to catch up. We walked and walked on a beautiful forest path and finally arrived at the lake shore. ¡°What is that?¡± I couldn¡¯t hide my curiosity and asked the boy. In the middle of the lake, a large flower was scattering the soft light. ¡°It¡¯s really pretty.¡± ¡®I think it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen a flower that¡¯s almost as tall as myself?¡¯ It¡¯s leaves were also as big as a child. As I ran forward and tapped the flower bud¡ª the boy said from behind. ¡°That¡¯s the entrance.¡± ¡°The entrance to¡­?¡± At the same time as I asked, the flower flapped its leaves and swallowed me in a snap. ¡°¡­What?¡± What, give me back my life?! *** Gulp¨C When I went down what I assumed to be a ¡®flower stalk,¡¯ a completely different place was revealed. But there was something even more surprising than teleporting into a flower. ¡®It¡¯s an incredible beauty.¡¯ Two very handsome men were standing in front of me. ¡°Baby, we¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡± It was said by the man standing on the right, with a pure, lily-looking face. His thick eyelashes fanned out, and his long, light blue hair shone as if sprinkled with stardust. His white face and gray eyes were admiringly mysterious. ¡®He¡¯s so beautiful that it¡¯s haunting.¡¯ ¡°Ah, hello¡­?¡± I blushed and greeted. Then, standing on the left, the man with short red hair and golden eyes smiled happily. He was a handsome man with a wild atmosphere like a red wolf. ¡°You look smaller in person. Like the size of a fist. Cute.¡± ¡®Oh, it¡¯s this person. The person who pressed my cheeks. His voice is similar.¡¯ I blinked a little, trying to hide my shyness, then asked cautiously. ¡°B-By the way, who are you two?¡± ¡°Ah, we should start by introducing ourselves.¡± The muscular, wild handsome man crossed his thick arms and said. ¡°We are your parents. Mom and Dad.¡± ¡­What? What kind of outrageous statement was that? Chapter 26 Please take note: somehow in the first episode, I thought the last name of the imperial family was the same as the empire¡¯s name, that¡¯s why I went with Axelferion cause I stuck to the naming in the promo manhwa. Well, now I know better. So sorry about that. I¡¯ve made the changes in the relevant places! Uhm. So, I¡¯ve been imagining meeting Mom and Dad a lot. Even in my previous life, I had never had a proper family, so I longed for a life with my parents. Thus, I often imagined the touching reunion scene when I meet my parents. With a runny nose, I would shed tears and call, ¡®Mom! Dad!¡¯ and we would hug. However, a very minor problem arose. ¡®First of all, I have to figure out which one is the mother?!¡¯ I was perplexed, but after remembering that this place was in a spicy BL novel, I quickly accepted it. ¡®Let¡¯s act naturally. If I am surprised, it will hurt Mom and Dad.¡¯ After making a resolute decision, I was embraced by the man who was as neat as a lily. ¡°Mom¡­ I wanted to meet you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± However, the reaction of the neat man was a little strange. ¡°Ah, I guess it¡¯s not like this!¡± I must have been prejudiced because of his appearance. Bad Annette, snobbish Annette! Again, with an open mind, I embraced the wild, muscular, wolf-like man. This time! ¡°¡­Mom!!!¡± Then the muscular wolf mother flashed his golden eyes and raised his eyebrows. ¡°Why am I your mother¡­?¡± He looked at me with a questioning expression for a moment and then said with a smile on his face. ¡°You must have misunderstood. It¡¯s not that we¡¯re really the parents who ¡®gave birth¡¯ to you, it¡¯s just the ¡®expression¡¯.¡± ¡°It meant being like a parent who will always protect you.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± I blushed. ¡®It¡¯s completely over!¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m not overly biased, Teachers.¡¯ I really thought one of them was pregnant with me. ¡°How cute.¡± Seeing my reaction, the two handsome men chuckled. Embarrassed, my face became as hot as a roasted sweet potato. ¡°¡­Excuse me. So, are you two like, my guardian gods?¡± ¡°Guardian, your partner, you can call me by any name. The important thing is that from now on you can use our powers, Annette.¡± ¡®I can use the powers of these two men?¡¯ Around the time when I was in doubt, the handsome lily-like man said: ¡°You are the child who has awakened the power of ¡®source¡¯.¡± ¡­The power of source? ¡°It means you¡¯re the ¡®first sorcerer¡¯ that exists in this world, the child who wields the soul of Ex¨®rdium.¡± The first sorcerer! In this worldview, the existence of a sorcerer was very rare. As it was rare, there were no proper records about sorcerers, so I noted down information about it. Hence, people regarded sorcerers as secret, sacred, and terrifying. Sorcerors did not ¡®awaken¡¯ their abilities like wizards or psychics. They uniquely inherited their abilities only by ¡®succeeding¡¯ the soul. There were only a limited number of sorcerers that could be created. That was why they were rare. ¡®Not a single Tree in the history of the Forest has become a sorcerer.¡¯ Gulp¨C I swallowed dry saliva. ¡®By the way, did I summon a sorcerer¡¯s soul? And it¡¯s the first sorcerer¡¯s soul¡­?¡¯ ¡®What the hell have you done, future baker?¡¯ My eyes trembled softly. While I was staring blankly with that expression, the handsome man that was like a red wolf proudly crossed his arms and said, ¡°You seem confused, Annette. Shall we sit over there and talk?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± There was nothing there. Then, the lily-like handsome man gestured gently. And something amazing happened. As if paint had suddenly spilled, the landscape quickly changed as the whole area was dyed with brilliant colors. A large table and luxurious chairs (of course, mine was a children¡¯s chair) appeared in the fine-weathered garden, and delicious desserts and breads were piled up on the table. Suddenly, the handsome lily man smiled as he poured milk tea into my cup. I sat down in a daze. ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± The milk tea smelled sweet. ¡°Dear, have you ever read the myth of the founding of Axelferion???¡± ¡°I only know the first sentence. I heard that the latter part is almost lost?¡± I answered after a sip of milk tea. Well, it was sweet. ¡°You¡¯re smart too. Shall we say the first sentence at the same time?¡± The neat and handsome man and I said at the same time. ¡°In the beginning there was fire and light!¡± ¡°In the beginning there was fire and light.¡± He smiled softly like a lily. ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± He started telling me some pretty interesting stories. The first sorcerer who existed on this earth, his name is ¡®Exordium¡¯. He was half-human and half-god, and it was said that he came down when this land was newly created with the powers he inherited from the gods. The first sorcerer was omnipotent, but he decided not to use his powers to dominate, but to use them solely to care for humans. After helping in the development of civilization for such a long time, which led to the founding of El Dorado and the birth of a new dynasty, the sorcerer soon fell into a new worry. That worry was: ¡®Humans aren¡¯t strong enough to survive in this world.¡¯ ¡ª It was. The sorcerer foresaw that war would soon begin on this land and that a different race would invade. In the end, humans would either become their slaves or perish. So, the sorcerer sacrificed his life to cast a powerful spell on the ground for the last time. ¡°It was a magic that brought human¡¯s ¡®potential¡¯ to the maximum.¡± As the handsome lily-like man finished his step by step explanation, the red wolf-like man added, ¡°Thanks to that magic, ordinary humans began to awaken abilities. That¡¯s how wizards, superpowers, tamers, etcetera, were born.¡± ¡°They can actually use the power of the magic they received from Exordium.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± So, uhm. To sum up, it was a world where there were no wizards or superpowers in the first place, right? ¡®Like the modern society I lived in in my previous life.¡¯ ¡®However, with the power of a sorcerer, abilities that transcend human limits have been created.¡¯ This¡­ So, it meant that the spirit of the sorcerer I awakened became the root of all talented people. It was only then that I understood what they said to me, that I was a child who had awakened the power of the source. First of all, they meant that I had summoned the spirit of a sorcerer who was equal to an omnipotent god, right? ¡®¡­It¡¯s incredible.¡¯ ¡®Heuk, I¡¯ve been sad all this time.¡¯ Suddenly, I remembered the past when Sasha summoned a chick and I looked at her with envy. ¡®I can¡¯t believe I summoned the sorcerer¡¯s soul!¡¯ It was as if I used to live as a beggar on the street, but suddenly a rich grandfather appeared and gave me 10 buildings as a gift, saying, ¡°Actually, I am your grandfather.¡± ¡®Fufu. It¡¯s really cool.¡¯ I wiped my nose and smiled as the handsome wolf-like man continued to explain. ¡°The sorcerer split his soul in two when he died after his life-threatening spell.¡± The handsome lily added a few words. ¡°¡®Fire¡¯ and ¡®light¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± I responded, ¡°That was something from the founding story?¡± There must have been a reason why it was recorded as ¡®fire and light¡¯ rather than ¡®light¡¯. Because of this single space, scholars seemed to have been divided for over a thousand years.(TL/N: I might be wrong, but this is how I understand it ¨C ¡®??¡¯ means ¡®light¡¯, but if you add a space between them and thus separating the characters, ¡®? ?¡¯, it becomes ¡®fire light¡¯. So I guess the division between the scholars was regarding if it should be recorded as ¡®fire and light¡¯ or ¡®fire light¡¯.) ¡®Would it be okay for me to make a great academic discovery in one second at the age of 12?¡¯ No matter how good a model student I was, it seemed like overkill. Well, wouldn¡¯t the scholars feel intellectual deprivation? ¡°That¡¯s right. Hence, ¡®Sordi¡¯ with the power of light and ¡®Um¡¯ with the power of fire were born. Now let me introduce myself, my name is Sordi.¡± The handsome lily, no, Sordi pointed to himself. Then his finger turned to the side. ¡°This is Um.¡± So, when these two were combined, it¡¯s the soul of Exordium! I quickly caught up and asked. ¡°Then, was it Sordi¡¯s power that was demonstrated when I met the monster earlier?¡± I didn¡¯t remember it well, but I remembered a white light shining brilliantly. ¡°You¡¯re smart too, sweetheart.¡± ¡°Thank you for protecting me, Sordi!¡± As I greeted them warmly, Sordi briefly looked moved. ¡°My baby girl has a really pretty heart too, hm.¡± ¡°She¡¯s a cute and unique glutinous rice.¡± Sordi and Um were ¡®pulling¡¯ my cheeks from both sides and fiddling with it to their heart¡¯s content. Ummm, I didn¡¯t know what to do and thought while blinking my eyes. ¡®¡­You two seem like a couple who love the little ones!¡¯ It wasn¡¯t unreasonable that I mistook them for Mom and Dad. I quickly changed the topic to keep my cheeks from stretching out. ¡°Ish a lwot of enwergy (my cheeks were released only after my pronunciation was badly affected). It¡¯s great that I can use that kind of power!¡± ¡°Recognizing the depth of our abilities is the first of the ¡®successor¡¯ qualities. I¡¯m happy. Very happy.¡± A very satisfied smile appeared on Um¡¯s face. ¡°But the essence of your ability isn¡¯t just fire and light. There are other skills that are really powerful.¡± More powerful than fire and light? ¡°¡­What is it?¡± Looking down at Annette¡¯s curious expression, Um¡¯s golden eyes shone. ¡°It¡¯s ¡®recovery¡¯ and ¡®buff¡¯.¡± ¡°Recovery and buff?!¡± I heard him, but I didn¡¯t quite understand it. Um smiled proudly and explained. ¡°You are the ¡®source¡¯ of all Awakened. So, you can amplify their abilities or even take them away.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Amplifying or stealing abilities!(TL & PR/N: Gakuen Alice anyone?!?!?!) I swallowed a little bit of saliva because just by hearing it, it seemed to be very important to the Awakened. ¡°That is the essence of the power of Exordium.¡± With that power, successive ¡®heirs¡¯ that showed up could knead the world. Annette¡¯s future would be no different. But this little 12-year-old kid didn¡¯t seem to realize it yet. Sordi quietly asked a question to the contemplating Annette. ¡°If all of the magic power of the Magic Tower¡¯s Lord is ¡®collected¡¯ tomorrow, what will the future look like?¡± ¡°¡­Perhaps the domination structure of the Tower will change. The owner will be replaced.¡± ¡®Not only that.¡¯ I thought. The Magic Tower was an institution that stood in a strange balance in the power struggle between the imperial family and the Great Temple. In this case, if the tower lord was replaced, of course, the power system of the empire would be changed in an instant. Um smiled cruelly. ¡°You seem to have caught up. That change will change the fate of many people. Furthermore, ¡®the fate of the world¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°If you use the ¡®buff¡¯, you might be able to give power to those with low powers and rule the world.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Ah.¡± Of course, I was a smart kid, so I understood quickly. ¡°I guess you realize it now.¡± Um raised his dark eyebrows upward and grabbed my small chin. He whispered sweetly like a devil. ¡°You can put this world in the palm of your hand and sleep, baby.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Some people fear your power as if it is death itself, and others salivate and want it like a greedy dog ??for a chunk of enhanced meat.¡± With deepened eyes, I answered, ¡°¡­That¡¯s a lot of power.¡± Seeing Annette fully aware of her strength, Um touched his chin with satisfaction. ¡®Her eyes are burning with ambition. I¡¯m satisfied! Very satisfied!¡¯ Um felt his heart heating up and he brushed his rough hair that was like a red mane. ¡®I am very excited about the future this little child will dream of. Ahaha.¡¯ How would this child use her powers? Would she become a powerful kingmaker? Or, would she make the wonderful choice to become the ruler of the world on her own. Um said while holding a small glass of milk tea with his thick hand. ¡°Baby, what are you planning to become in the future?¡± Badump, badump, badump. His excited heart in his muscular chest beat with ambition. However, he suppressed his expectations and took a sip of milk tea and looked at Annette. Annette opened her mouth, her eyes twinkling like the sunlight of early spring. ¡°I will be a very good and wonderful¡­!¡± Um¡¯s heart beat faster. Badump, badump, badump. ¡®Yeah, good and wonderful?¡¯ The kid finally clenched her fists! She did so and shouted, ¡°I¡¯m going to be a baker!¡± Puhh, milk tea sprayed like a fountain on poor Sordi¡¯s face. Ame: It¡¯s a triple update! This novel is so cute and fluffy, it heals my heart after all the angst and drama in my other projects~ Chapter 27 ¡°Lies, that must be a lie! Glutinous rice!¡±(TL/N: Um¡¯s nickname for Annette.) Um, who suffered cognitive dissonance due to Annette¡¯s grand and high dream, jumped up from his seat and shouted. Then I widened my eyes like a puppy and said, ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± Smile, my light-green eyes were folded. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to try it. Being the owner of a bakery that produces fragrant, delicious, and fluffy bread!¡± Sordi quietly took out a handkerchief and wiped his face. The milk tea sprinkled on his face was like honey on a lily. Um¡¯s face turned as red as the color of his hair. ¡°Ha, but you can become an emperor with that power, glutinous rice!¡± ¡®Um, it¡¯s strange if glutinous rice is the emperor.¡¯ ¡°But the emperor can¡¯t even sleep in.¡± Um blinked and said, ¡°Is that the only reason¡­?¡± He then made a face that was as if he was hit with a hammer, and hurriedly said, ¡°Or you can make the powerful obey you at your feet. Make them tremble at your words!¡± ¡­Was he really trying to make a 12-year-old do such a scary thing? I answered with cloudy eyes. ¡°That sounds a bit scary, Um.¡± ¡®I don¡¯t really want to make anyone tremble.¡¯ I was like, ¡®What¡¯s this¡­ I¡¯m scared¡­¡¯ When I looked at Um with such eyes, Um restrained his heart with a sigh. ¡°However, with such tremendous power, it¡¯s barely enough to be a bakery owner!¡± Sordi, who managed to wipe his face clean of milk tea, folded the wet handkerchief down neatly, and then put his hand on the excited wolf¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Um, calm down¡± ¡°¡­B-But! Bakery! What do you mean bakery!¡± ¡°She is still young. A dream can change later in life, and even if she becomes a baker, we must respect this child.¡± ¡°Heuk!¡± After gently calming the mad wolf, Sordi looked at me and said kindly. ¡°Baby, like Um said, you don¡¯t have to use your abilities for personal gain. You can also use them to protect your loved ones.¡± It was one of the best things I had ever heard. My eyes gleamed. ¡®I can protect my loved ones!¡¯ Heinrich¡¯s face came to mind, followed by Sislin¡¯s face. And the big, pure eyes of the Forest children. ¡°It¡¯s really cool¡­¡± From now on, I could protect anyone I care about. My heart was pounding and it felt warm. ¡°Hey, then, will I be able to kill monsters by emitting light like before?¡± When I asked a little naively, Sordi lowered his eyebrows and smiled. ¡°Earlier, it was the moment of ¡®inheritance¡¯, so you were able to show great power. You and the soul of Exordium have not yet resonated perfectly, so that will be too much.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ ¡± Seeing my disappointed face, Sordi quickly added. ¡°But the longer you spend time with us, the stronger you will be.¡± ¡°Okay! So, how much power can I use now?¡± Sordi pondered a little, then raised his index finger and smiled. ¡°It may be possible to produce a very small light?¡± Oh? That¡¯s pretty cool too? I was happy and covered my mouth with both hands. ¡°Then I can turn on the light and bake bread in the dark!¡± It was a life where I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about the price of candles! ¡®Saving money is really important for the self-employed. Mhm, indeed.¡¯ ¡°Heh, you¡¯re cute.¡± Sordi smiled slightly at my reaction, but Um¡¯s expression wasn¡¯t very good. ¡®Hey, every time I talk about bread, his expression turns rotten¡­?¡¯ Apparently, he had not yet accepted the fact that the successor of Exordium would become a great baker. ¡®It¡¯s difficult, really.¡¯ At that moment, Um, who was holding his forehead, opened his mouth. ¡°¡­For now, you will only be able to control fire.¡± What a match! I clapped my hands and answered. ¡°Then I can bake bread at the perfect temperature!¡± ¡°Argh, don¡¯t link everything to the bakery! Glutinous rice!¡± The red wolf shook his head in pain at my ¡®obsessive baker¡¯-like line of thought. ¡®Fufu. But it¡¯s my old dream.¡¯ I didn¡¯t care at all. I just drank the sweet milk tea in front of me. I would be the greatest baker who bakes the most perfect bread with the best fire control, fufu. ¡®I¡¯m sorry, but Mom and Dad, please stay out of my career counseling.¡¯ Having finished drinking the milk tea proudly, I got up from my seat and greeted like a model student ¨C very politely. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be on my way! The children will be waiting.¡± ¡°Baby, remember one thing.¡± Sordi grabbed my wrist and said with a serious face. ¡°Never, you should never easily reveal your abilities.¡± ¡°Yes. I understand.¡± I nodded. ¡°Some people fear your power like it¡¯s death itself, others salivate like a greedy dog ??for a chunk of drugged meat.¡± From the moment Um said these words, I swore in my mind that I would not reveal my abilities easily. Besides, if my abilities were revealed when I was young and fragile like now, I would be kidnapped without a trace and split into pieces. In the hands of those who fear me and want to destroy me, or those who covet me. Ugh, I am getting chills. At this time, Sordi seemed relieved at my answer. ¡°As expected, you¡¯re clever, sweetheart. If you keep that in mind, you¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°Yes! It was really nice meeting you, Sordi and Um.¡± After shaking hands with Sordi and Um in turn, I grabbed a bunch of jelly and candy from the dessert tray and stashed them into my pocket. Like a squirrel trying to store cashews in its cheek pockets. Sordi covered his mouth as if he found my actions cute and then asked with a smile. ¡°Are you going to take it and eat it later?¡± ¡°No, I am going to give it to the children of the Forest. These snacks are precious and everyone will love them.¡± I smiled brightly, and suddenly the handsome lily-like man¡¯s face became flushed and he made a grim expression. ¡°How¡­ Um, look at my baby¡­! How can she take care of other children like this when she herself is young? How can she be so sweet?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s definitely glutinous rice with no ambition, but she has a very warm heart. This successor is different.¡± ¡®I think it¡¯s a bit of an exaggeration, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ ¡°Her cheek pockets are cute too. Like a hamster, Um.¡± ¡°Hmm. To be precise, it looks like a hamster whose cheek pockets are made of glutinous rice.¡± Pyoong, pyoong¡ª They thoroughly enjoyed pulling my cheeks from both sides. ¡°¡­¡­¡± In a daze, I thought as my cheeks were pulled. ¡®The two of you are incredibly lovey-dovey¡­¡¯ Muah¨C ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but it¡¯s time to get going, sweetheart.¡± Sordi kissed my forehead with a look of regret to let go of my cheek. Then, the surrounding environment dispersed in a dizzying manner like five colors of paint dissolving in the water, and I returned to reality in an instant. *** When I opened my eyes, the faces of the boys were right in front of me. On the left was a boy with silver hair and a pretty cat-like face. On the right was a boy with an expressionless face, with black hair and red eyes like a young beast. ¡°Sister!¡± ¡°Annette, did you sleep well?¡± I laughed a little awkwardly. ¡°Ah, huh!¡± ¡®Is this the cave?¡¯ Did I dream about meeting Sordi and Um? I hurriedly fumbled through my pocket, and I could still feel it was full of candy and jellies. ¡®Really, it wasn¡¯t a dream.¡¯ To get to meet Sordi and Um after being eaten by a monster plant, and to return with a friendly kiss. It was a mysterious experience. That space must have been in my unconsciousness or a special space they had created. I told Sislin and Heinrich briefly about what I had been through. I also said quite a bit of detail about my abilities. I had to hide my powers, but Sislin and Heinrich were truly on my side and the only children I could trust. ¡®More than anything else, they have to be on my side so that it will be easier to hide in the Forest.¡¯ However, I deliberately did not talk about Sordi and Um. Because some degree of secrecy was necessary. ¡°Sister, you¡¯ve awakened a great power, right?!¡± As Heinrich spoke in surprise, Sislin, who was listening quietly next to him, opened his mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the future. Annette. I¡¯ll keep your secret.¡± ¡°Yes. Thank you!¡± ¡°And even if you¡¯re caught¡­¡± Sislin quietly closed his red eyes and opened them. ¡°I will protect you. Even if it means giving my life.¡± ¡®Please don¡¯t give your life at 11, child. Usually 11-year-olds don¡¯t say things like that!¡¯ ¡®The buds of Gwanggong are really different, different.¡¯ At that time, this damn chihuahua! He pushed Sislin and took his place. ¡°No, I¡¯m going to be the one who protects Sister, right?¡± Pukk! This time, Sislin pushed Heinrich away. Then, with his red eyes shining, he spoke again seriously. ¡°Annette, don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Hey, shouldn¡¯t you go over there, you bastard? Sister, I¡¯ll protect you. Don¡¯t worry about anything! It¡¯s a must! Understand? Don¡¯t worry!¡± ¡®I¡¯m most worried about you¡­¡¯ Other than you, I have nothing to worry about. I smiled awkwardly and nodded, thinking there was no reason to stay here any longer. So I picked up the Pluto ring. ¡°Are you planning to go back now?¡± I answered Sislin¡¯s question. ¡°Yes! If I rub this, Teacher Julius will come right away.¡± Probably. It was my first time using the power of the ring, so I wasn¡¯t sure. Even in the original story, there was only a rough explanation, and there was no scene where the Pluto clan obeyed the owner of the ring properly. ¡®It¡¯s written that he will appear in a very polite manner.¡¯ With the attitude of serving his master. Hmm, and I think he took a very cringy posture, but what was it? I traced the part where my memory was vague, and decided to call him for the first time. I exhaled a little nervously and rubbed the ring. Then, bang! An amazing thing happened. Ame: One more chapter, have fun laughing at Julius¡¯ expense ^^ Chapter 28 Pop! With a sound, a thick fog spread around, and Julius appeared kneeling on one knee. How embarrassing. ¡°Did you call me, Master?¡± ¡­The dialogue was more burdensome! ¡°Umm, yes. I called.¡± Besides, he was wearing only colorful underwear under his neat shirt, whatever was he doing when he was called? ¡®I really hate it. ¡® Perhaps Julius was summoned while eating stew in his room in comfortable clothes. I saw some bits of stew on the spoon in his hand. Being summoned without knowing what¡¯s going on during a meal. ¡®I feel bad thinking about it like that.¡¯ Right then. ¡°¡­You¡¯re dressed like a pervert, f*ck.¡± ¡®Oh, Heinrich. You can¡¯t use bad words like that! You just have to keep it in your head like me!¡¯ For a moment, Julius¡¯ shoulders shook as if he was agitated at the chihuahua¡¯s reckless remarks. And suddenly, the hypnosis of the ring ended. ¡°Damn it, damn it! Where am I, all of a sudden?! What have you done to me!¡± Feeling the master¡¯s first use of power, he looked around in great bewilderment. Then he approached the three children standing in a crooked row with blurred eyes. ¡°Such language from you guys? ¡­Anyway, it looks like you are all right.¡± I guessed he was worried though. ¡®But please don¡¯t come any closer! Ah, ah. Your ugly leg hairs are showing, Teacher.¡¯ I asked, cautiously holding the Pluto ring in my arms. ¡°Hey Teacher, every time I summon you, will I hear a ¡®pop!¡¯ sound and see a thick fog?¡± ¡°Oh, that can be set by the individual. It¡¯s my taste.¡± ¡®Your taste sucks.¡¯ Julius raised his finger as if showing special consideration. ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, I can clear the fog.¡± ¡°Please silence the sound too.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Julius spoke as if he was outraged by my relentless demands. ¡°Then you don¡¯t have to summon me as you please!¡± I replied with a smile. ¡°That would be difficult.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± I shrugged and said to Julius, who had an angry expression on his face. ¡°First of all, take us all to the Forest.¡± He had no choice but to obey his 12-year-old little master¡¯s first order. *** After returning to the Forest. Miss Rose hugged the three of us and cried for a long time. Sasha, Julien, and other children were also crying and hugging each other, so I comforted them and distributed the candy I brought. ¡°Heuk! I thought I couldn¡¯t see you anymore, I thought!¡± Thanks to the delicious candy, the children overcame the dilemma of a situation in which tears flowed. Miss Rose said that we should first have an absolute rest ¨C eat a lot of delicious food and rest in the room. Thanks to this, the meeting with Madam Mimosa was also delayed. ¡®When I meet Madam Mimosa, I have to act well.¡¯ I should never be caught of being an Awakened, absolutely! I was determined to do so, but something came to mind. No, wait a second¡­ ¡®Madam Mimosa can perceive the color of the soul, so she will know whether I have awakened or not, right?¡¯ I knew from reading the original that there was a special magic in her eyes. ¡®Then isn¡¯t it just a matter of time before I get caught?¡¯ I hurriedly went to my room alone and carefully called out Sordi and Um. ¡°Sordi, Um!¡± But there was no answer from the other parties. It seemed that I couldn¡¯t call them when I wanted to. ¡®Will I be caught like this?¡¯ But I had a strangely weird belief. A strange belief that Sordi and Um would not have let me go without countermeasures. [¡­The cave is safe, so stay for a while. It¡¯s dangerous to go back like this, sweetheart.] They gave me that warning. If I was going to be caught by Madam Mimosa, they wouldn¡¯t have let me go because it was dangerous, right? ¡­Good. ¡®I¡¯ll trust Sordi and Um.¡¯ It was too late to come up with a solution now, so I had no choice but to go listen to the ¡®level test result announcement¡¯. *** After heading to the auditorium, as per tradition, all the teachers were present, including Miss Rose and Madam Mimosa. All the Trees were seated on the small children¡¯s chairs. Firstly, with flushed rosy cheeks, Miss Rose shouted out loud. ¡°You don¡¯t know how much I¡¯ve been looking forward to this. I¡¯m glad everyone passed the test safely!¡± ¡°Wow!¡± The wide-eyed children raised their hands and clapped. ¡°Are you curious about the test results? So, shall we announce it now?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Shake, shake¡ª Raising their eggplant-like fists, the children answered excitedly. ¡°Then first, Heinrich!¡± Heinrich stood up slowly with his characteristic arrogant and unwavering eyes. ¡°Our Heinrich has become the top level, special level 1 again!¡± ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°Awesome, that¡¯s really cool Heinrich!¡± Heinrich smiled smugly, receiving the envy of the children. He was clearly showing off. ¡°Now, can our Heinrich say a few words?¡± Heinrich looked at the crowd with his usual arrogant eyes and said while tapping his chin. ¡°Well, it¡¯s always special level 1, so it¡¯s boring. What¡¯s so good about it?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Even as I stared in surprise at the acceptance speech that contained so much of his personality, the Trees were reacting innocently with their eyes twinkling, saying ¡°Wow!¡± and ¡°Cool!¡± I was one of them. ¡®As expected, my baby¡¯s not humble attitude is so good.¡¯ And then, it was Sislin¡¯s turn. Miss. Rose, who was looking at the presentation paper, said in surprise. ¡°Oh my, and there¡¯s another one in our Forest!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Sislin has defeated a lot of high-level monsters and has become special level 1!¡± ¡°Wow!¡± All the children cheered and clapped. However, Heinrich frowned as he looked at Sislin, saying, ¡°Oh, really?¡± ¡®Ah, was Sislin that strong?!¡¯ It was a fact I was not aware of at all. Miss Rose continued, saying, ¡°Of course, in the middle, he released his suppressor, but instead, taking into account that he bravely led his friends into the cave, there is no point deduction.¡± My heart felt more at ease, and I was proud of him. ¡®My baby beast, you¡¯ve worked really hard.¡¯ As I was admiring him, Miss Rose asked, ¡°Now, Sislin, how do you feel?¡± Sislin said nothing, looking at the Trees with an indifferent face. ¡°Thank you.¡± It was a grave-like calm. He looked very cool, so the kids were like, ¡®Oh oh¡¯, with their eyes lit up. ¡®That is amazing¡­ How can you be so calm?¡¯ I would have been very happy. After all, the clingy maniac Gwanggong sprouts were not easily lifted? Even though he was young, it was quite heavy. The next announcements were, in turn, Sasha and Julien. Sasha summoned 104 chicks and bravely killed 5 moles, and was promoted to level 4. Sasha achieved her goal and happily performed a celebratory performance on stage. ¡®She¡¯s level 4, but she¡¯s showing off much more flamboyantly than the level 1s!¡¯ That was so cute. After Sasha¡¯s passionate performance was over, it was Julien¡¯s turn. ¡°This is Julien¡¯s first level test. He didn¡¯t catch any monsters, but he raised a fallen friend and took him to the infirmary. So, the score for a good child is¡­ level 8!¡± Julien¡¯s sky-blue eyes widened. Soon, Julien bravely raised his egg potato fist and shouted, ¡°Yes!¡± and everyone was envious. ¡°Next, Annette!¡± Gulp. It¡¯s my turn. At that tense moment, there was a voice that cut through the excitement of the crowd like a knife. ¡°I will do Annette¡¯s presentation.¡± It was Madam Mimosa. She approached me slowly with her characteristic strict expression. My heart was beating fast. ¡®Sordi, Um, please¡­¡¯ In my test results, I only wrote ¡®one slime¡¯. The big monster that awakened me was written as ¡®killed by Sislin and Heinrich¡¯. That was what we decided on. My awakening was completely concealed. But if she saw the light of an Awakened in the color of my soul. ¡®If that¡¯s the case¡­¡¯ And if it was simply a mistake that Sordi and Um just let me go. ¡®My future will be very difficult.¡¯ I would be in a position of a piece of meat, where I do not know where I would be sold to. ¡°Annette.¡± Madam Mimosa peered silently into my eyes with her gold ones. My throat was tight, and cold sweat ran down my spine. ¡®She¡¯s looking to see if the color of my soul has changed to that of an Awakened.¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­¡± Madam Mimosa, who looked at me for a moment, made a mysterious expression that could not be understood. Then she bent down to the point where I could barely breathe, and said in a very low voice. ¡°Since I met you, it¡¯s always been a series of surprises.¡± ¡®Please, please, I hope the surprise is not against me¡­¡¯ Madam Mimosa¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°You¡¯re the best student in the Forest, but you¡¯re the kid who doesn¡¯t always do as expected.¡± After she finished speaking, Madam Mimosa straightened herself and read the announcement. ¡°Annette caught one slime, but she showed her wits in a crisis and was recognized for bringing her friends back to the Forest. She is to maintain her existing level 5!¡± ¡°Waaah! Annette!¡± ¡°You¡¯re so brave, so cool!¡± I looked at the Trees with a blank face in surprise for a moment, then smiled broadly. ¡®Fortunately, I didn¡¯t get caught!¡¯ Phew, I sighed in relief. For some reason, I felt like I knew the reason. Sordi and Um used the expression ¡®Heir¡¯ rather than ¡®Awakened¡¯ to describe me. The essence of my soul did not change through awakening. It was just that I had inherited the soul of Exordium. The essence of my soul was the same, so the color itself might not have changed. ¡®Anyway, I¡¯m so glad I deceived Madam Mimosa.¡¯ The children ran up and congratulated me in unison. ¡°Really, congratulations Annette!¡± ¡°You said you wanted to be level 5 again this time, and amazingly, you¡¯re level 5!¡± ¡®Heuk-heuk, good children.¡¯ Though I didn¡¯t level up at all. ¡®In a situation where I had 600 points and claimed my next goal to be 600 points, I just stayed at 600 points!¡¯ Still, everyone congratulated me happily. I felt their pure hearts, so I was able to laugh sincerely. Hehehe. After the level test result announcement was over, Sislin strode towards me. Then he immediately hugged me and said, ¡°Congratulations, Annette.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± My face turned red like a peach. And I could see Heinrich, whose face was 10 times redder than mine. ¡°Hey, you naughty bastard, where are you hugging?¡± *** After all events were over. In the quiet office, Madam Mimosa was talking to someone. The voice over the communication area had a sullen purple energy. Like the blade of a guillotine that cut down criminals. [The child did not awaken. Even with that kind of stimulation¡­ It¡¯s disappointing, Madam. What if it doesn¡¯t happen in the future? ] ¡°Like you said, she might not be able to do it forever. In this Forest, that is.¡± [What do you mean?] ¡°¡­¡­¡± Madam Mimosa slowly folded her arms and looked at the moon outside the large window of her office. ¡°Forest. It means that we can no longer expect her to germinate properly in this soil. But¡­ If we change the environment where Annette is, there is a possibility.¡± It was a pale moon. ¡°Some Trees only awaken after adoption.¡± [Then.] ¡°I¡¯m thinking of starting ¡®socialization training¡¯ for Annette¡¯s adoption.¡± [¡­¡­!] ¡°As soon as possible. From tomorrow.¡± Ame: End of triple updates! See y¡¯all in a few days¡¯ time for a double update~ Chapter 29 Jay asked quietly from the other side. [Send the child for adoption. Who wants that?] ¡°Isn¡¯t Annette¡¯s awakening more important than Jay¡¯s possessiveness?¡± Dalcrack¨C For a moment, the sound of a glass of ice being shaken came from beyond the communication port. Then there was the sound of liquid being swallowed deeply, followed by a firm voice. [That ¡®thing¡¯ is mine, Madam Mimosa.] ¡°¡­¡­¡± Suddenly, Madam Mimosa¡¯s shoulders moved. It was because Jay¡¯s voice was so cold that it felt like it was piercing through her bones. [I am always the one who decides the arrangements regarding Annette¡¯s. You are mistaken if you think you have ownership of the child after I left her to you for a while.] ¡°¡­¡­ ¡± [Livestock that cannot understand the subject is bound to be on the dinner table in the evening.] ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Livestock unable to grasp the subject. She felt a gentle sense of humiliation and fear at the naked expression referring to herself. Jay had always used a respectful tone and treated Madam Mimosa equally, but whenever an unpleasant situation came up, he would threaten and crush her in an instant. As if trying to make her vividly remember the disparity between their positions. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Originally, Jay was like this. Although he was usually smiling and kind on the outside, at some point, he would strangle his opponent; and while it seemed like he was treating a child like a human being, he was actually treating him as a dog or tool. A dangerous person¡­ If he thought he didn¡¯t need this forest, he would set fire to it and leave. Would the screams of children reach his ears? Madam Mimosa quietly closed her eyes and then reopened it. There was only one attitude she could take at this time. ¡°Jay, you¡¯ve certainly delegated me full authority over the child.¡± [¡­¡­] It was to reveal the dignity of the Forest manager. ¡°So please respect my opinion as the Forest manager. All of this is for a Tree with the best talent and potential.¡± In her unwavering tone, a low breath could be heard over the communication zone, [Hmm¡­] The long sound of exhalation followed at the same time as the sound of an igniting match. It looked like he was smoking a cigarette. The opponent, who seemed to be in conflict for a moment, started speaking, albeit a tempo slower. [No one wants that child.] ¡°There is.¡± [¡­There is?] ¡°He has already donated 2 billion gold to the Forest for Annette.¡± [How hilarious. Is there any idiot who pays that kind of money for garbage that hasn¡¯t even awakened? It seems like he noticed her talent and is trying to use it.] ¡°No.¡± Slowly, Madam Mimosa¡¯s voice continued. ¡°The man said he wouldn¡¯t adopt if Annette doesn¡¯t want it. He just donated it to the child¡¯s future. If he had known her talent, he would have adopted her somehow right away.¡± [If it¡¯s not because of talent, then why the hell¡­?] ¡°I do not know¡­¡± Madam Mimosa whispered softly, ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m curious about too.¡± The anonymous sponsor seemed uninterested in owning Annette. Sometimes, the Trees meet such a strong supporter. Of course, there were very few donors who donated 2 billion gold at once. For a child they had never even met once. After the brief but intense call, the communication channel was cut off. ¡°A livestock that doesn¡¯t understand the subject¡­¡± Madam Mimosa picked up the green box on the table. Maybe she was. But¨C ¡°No livestock owns its own kingdom, Jay.¡± This was the small kingdom of Madam Mimosa. A paradise with Trees. And Annette was her favorite Tree in that paradise. At the very least, it was entirely up to her on how to cultivate the Tree. Madam Mimosa sat on the moonlit sofa, holding the green box. She had prepared a gift for Annette when she awakened. ¡°¡­¡­¡± The brooch she took out of the box shone beautifully. The brooch had these words engraved on it. ¡¶Level Zero¡· Exceeding level 1 special. That is, it was a level that was not present in the history of the Forest, and was created exclusively for Annette. There had never been a zero-level child on the market. ¡°It will be fun.¡± Although she had not yet awakened, she was a child of infinite value. What would Annette¡¯s future look like? ¡°¡­You always make me look forward to it, Annette.¡± *** The next day. At the sudden call from Madam Mimosa, Sislin, Heinrich and I went to the office early. ¡°Did you call us, Madam?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s good that everyone came.¡± Madam Mimosa, as usual, called us with a strict and cold face that seemed unlikely to crack even if pierced by a needle. ¡°Annette, Heinrich, Sislin.¡± Then she made a tremendous bomb-like remark. ¡°Your ¡®socialization training¡¯ is scheduled to start today.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± For a moment, Heinrich spat out a short swear word as if it was bothersome. Sislin was as quiet as usual, while I was startled. Ah. Me too? Originally, socialization training was given to children who were looking for ¡®active adoption¡¯. So usually, there might be a lot of requests from nobles. It was only then that one could receive an invitation to an aristocratic gathering. The children who were invited were more likely to be Ability Awakeners, so socialization training for the unawakened was extremely rare. Oh my God, special level 1 (Heinrich) and special level 1 (Sislin). And a level 5 for socialization training! ¡®Dragon, phoenix¡­ combined with a crow-tit.¡¯ ¡®I just don¡¯t like it!¡¯ ¡®If I go to socialization training together with them like this, I¡¯m going to be left in a cold oatmeal state.¡¯ When I imagined myself standing next to the handsome first-class level 1¡¯s that were like a dragon and a phoenix, I shrieked inwardly and swallowed my tears. ¡®Heuk-heuk, it must feel like the least popular idol member on the team. No, I¡¯m just the manager.¡¯ ¡°Excuse me, Madam.¡± As I started carefully, she replied, staring at me with her raptor-gold eyes. ¡°Tell me, Annette.¡± ¡°¡­Really, really, is it right for me to go with them?¡± ¡°Why are you curious about that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because usually only awakened children can go for adoption.¡± An awkward smile crept across my lips. I wasn¡¯t very sure, but it was said that the children who did not awaken would go to places like a monastery later. Instead of going to a monastery, I planned to become a great baker. ¡°I never thought I would have a family.¡± I couldn¡¯t keep my fingers still. I couldn¡¯t stop even though I could see the front of my skirt crumpling badly. My head bowed slightly, and my voice gradually decreased. ¡°There is no way anyone will want me.¡± Even though I was telling the truth, my heart ached. ¡®I can¡¯t have a family.¡¯ I was well aware that this was a dream I couldn¡¯t dream of while living at level 5. ¡°Annette.¡± Madam Mimosa called me softly. ¡°Not long ago, I gave new profiles of the Trees to the noble families. Among them, who received the most ¡®Golden Roses¡¯?¡± After giving the profiles of the Trees of the Forest, it was a tradition for nobles to send a ¡®golden rose¡¯ to a child they actually wanted to meet. It was a kind of ¡®parent proposal¡¯. It meant, ¡®I want you to be our child.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m so envious¡­¡¯ Of course it¡¯s Sislin, right? Because he was a new face, and special level 1 Awakened. Besides, Sislin was proper and handsome, and in my eyes, he was too pretty. ¡°It¡¯s you. Annette.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Upon hearing these unexpected words, I raised my head and blinked my eyes. ¡®I beg your pardon? Me?!¡¯ Surprised, my answer sounded a little silly. ¡­Perhaps I heard it wrong? ¡°To begin with, smart and docile girls are popular. Besides, aren¡¯t you the best student in the Forest? And is that all? Look in the mirror.¡± Madam Mimosa said while pointing her index finger at me. ¡°You are remarkably cute. When you grow up, you will definitely become a beautiful girl.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± It was the first time I heard such outright compliments from Madam Mimosa, thus, my face went red. ¡°So, will there be a noble family who doesn¡¯t want you?¡± ¡®¡­I¡¯m definitely not that bad.¡¯ ¡®But Madam Mimosa? Why are you like that, like Heinrich!¡¯ I waved my hands with a face as red as a ripe tomato. ¡°No, Madam.¡± ¡°Sister, what do you mean ¡®no¡¯? If there is a mirror, even Sister has to know. Of course, Sister is the most lovable and pretty.¡± ¡°I think so too. You¡¯re the only one who¡¯s so kind and sweet, Annette.¡± Sislin, who was looking at me and speaking seriously, added. ¡°It¡¯s only natural to give Annette the most golden roses.¡± Beneath his black hair, his red eyes gleamed silently, then the boy muttered quietly to himself. ¡°¡­If they don¡¯t do that and let you down, they deserve to be killed, the nobles and the like.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± It was when I was trying to think that I had mistakenly heard those cruel murmurings as much as possible. Madam Mimosa said with her sharp eyes raised. ¡°Among the nobles who gave you the golden rose, there are some who said they really wanted to meet you.¡± ¡°¡­Do I have a sponsor?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The more I heard it, the more surprising it was. I never dared to dream. My heart was pounding. Maybe he really wanted me to be his daughter. ¡°Can you tell me his name?¡± ¡°It is difficult. He requested anonymity.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°But I¡¯m sure he will come to see you when you participate in socialization training. Take a good look. He will be one of the people who says hello to you.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam!¡± Somehow, I thought I could recognize my sponsor if I met him. Would there be some sort of feeling? ¡°The official attendance starts tomorrow, but the training starts today. So, from today onwards, keep your body and mind clean.¡± The children and I said goodbye to Madam Mimosa and left the room. Still, the pounding in my heart was growing bigger and bigger. I tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. ¡®Let my ideal parents fall from the sky.¡¯ ¡®A strong mother and, ummm, a father, his face is important.¡¯ ¡®¡­I hope he will be a gentle and handsome man. I hope he smells nice.¡¯ I prayed all night to the moon for my ideal parents. *** Finally, the day of socialization training. ¡°First, when a noble asks a question, answer it kindly and with a smile.¡± In the carriage heading to a banquet hall, Julius explained to us the rules of ¡®socialization training¡¯. His dark blue eyes shone covertly. ¡°As you can see, adults love the ¡®innocence¡¯ of children.¡± ¡°¡­So?¡± In response to my question, Julius said scary things with a calm face. ¡°So, calculate your answers to a standard two years younger than you are now. Like a nine-year-old and ten-year-old Tree in the Forest.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡®No, you¡¯re an adult telling children to cheat by acting!¡¯ ¡®How can you tell children such a thing, what a hack!¡¯ Julius shifted his glasses up with his index finger and spoke calmly. ¡°But you should never look stupid.¡± ¡®It¡¯s so hard to have to look smart and innocent! Heuk-heuk.¡¯ Strict rules, which I had never heard of before, didn¡¯t even end here. Julius opened his mouth again. Chapter 30 ¡°Maintain the dignity of a noble no matter what, and act more noble than a noble.¡± Finally, there was a rule that only applied to Heinrich. ¡°Heinrich, no matter what happens this time, you cannot swear. Never!¡± ¡°¡­I know that.¡± Heinrich frowned and looked out of the carriage. ¡®Then this meant he cursed last time.¡¯ I imagined how the nobles would have thrown a fit in the face of the nasty chihuahua¡¯s temper, so I covered my mouth with one hand and smiled secretly. Today, Julius was even more strict and neat. He also said that since Trees undergoing socialization training were treated as ¡®completed Trees¡¯, the nobles would use formal speech with us as a sign of respect. ¡®I don¡¯t feel bad.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t believe I was going to an aristocratic party and would be treated nicely. After explaining the rules, Julius moved to another carriage. Only then was Sislin, Heinrich and I left in the carriage. Then Sislin quietly opened his mouth. ¡°Annette, do you want to go for adoption?¡± ¡°Yes! Of course. I want to go quickly!¡± If only I could go. It¡¯s a dream to have a good mom and dad. Of course, I would also be happy if I could run a bakery alone and live bravely as a bakery owner. ¡°¡­I see.¡± However, for some reason, Sislin sagged his head upon hearing my answer. ¡°Why, Sisl doesn¡¯t want to go for adoption?¡± Actually, it was Sislin, so it didn¡¯t matter whether he was adopted or not. This was because he was of the imperial bloodline, and according to the setting, the imperial family would unconditionally come to find him later. It was a guaranteed gold umbilical cord. Even now, the birth or existence of Sislin was not known to the imperial family at all. ¡°¡­If I am adopted, I have to separate from Annette.¡± Ah, I was the only person who wanted to be adopted, I didn¡¯t notice! ¡®I never thought of it that way.¡¯ Of course, it was because I was planning to quit the original work someday and cheer for the two from afar. So I was naturally accepting of the separation. But anyway, that was a thing of the future. I replied with a smile. ¡°But, we can see each other often even after adoption!¡± In response to the fresh and decisive answer, Sislin barely nodded. ¡°¡­Yes.¡± It was still sad, though. Then the crazy chihuahua suddenly interrupted and spoke, his words slightly slurred. ¡°Hey, you, go for adoption as soon as possible and get away from my Sister.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be spending more time in the Forest with my sister.¡± Heinrich added, raising his beautiful and arrogant face. ¡°I¡¯m rumored to have a bad temper, so my adoption is going to be very late?¡± Sislin, who had been listening quietly, murmured. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t think it¡¯s something to be proud of at all.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Heinrich, who was hit by a fact bomb, puffed his cheeks. Sislin added quietly. ¡°If I get an adoption application, I will ask for Annette to be adopted with me.¡± ¡°Pfft, isn¡¯t this a complete idiot?¡± Heinrich pointed to Sislin with his index finger and came next to me, who was sitting on the opposite side, then leaned back. ¡°Look at that idiot. The one who wanted to be adopted together. ¡®Sister and younger brother¡¯ can¡¯t get married, right?¡± He continued calling him an idiot. Next to the teasing Heinrich, I thought quietly. ¡®Children, why do you always have a marriage with me in the future?¡¯ As I shook my head, Sislin added, with his red eyes shining. ¡°I am going to ask them to adopt Annette as the daughter-in-law of the family.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± As if he hadn¡¯t thought about it that far, Heinrich¡¯s expression went blank like he had been hit in the back of the head. Then his face turned red immediately. ¡°You, you bastard! Don¡¯t do that. I¡¯m going to ask mine to adopt her as a daughter-in-law!¡± ¡°You¡¯re copying me.¡± ¡°Cancel it! Cancel what you said that you¡¯re going to adopt her as a daughter-in-law!¡± I looked out the window calmly with cloudy eyes as I listened to the boys quarreling. ¡®¡­I don¡¯t think it¡¯s right to go quietly.¡¯ *** The fight between the two boys calmed down only after they had to separate as their destinations were different. The nobles who were having quiet salon gatherings asked to meet Sislin. And as for Heinrich and I, we were right here. That¡¯s right, I was invited to an imperial banquet. ¡°Wow¡­¡± I looked around in confusion, my light green eyes shone as if in a dream. The banquet hall was gleaming with white marble and gold, and elegant symphonic music was flowing softly to the light. The procession of nobles dressed splendidly and gracefully in various ways. And a cool stream of water poured from a fountain surrounded by statues related to the founding legend of El Dorado. ¡®¡­This is the imperial family.¡¯ This was the world of nobility. I blinked several times and looked around blankly, feeling like my heart was about to explode. Just then, a lady holding a peacock feather fan raised her head and spoke to me. ¡°Oh my gosh, little lady. I guess you are a child from the ¡®Forest¡¯?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, Madam. Hello?¡¯ I suddenly came to my senses and curved my bright green eyes. It was a lovely smile. ¡°I sent you a golden rose.¡± The lady slapped the arm of her husband who she had folded arms with, and was at a loss for what to do. ¡°You look so cute and adorable in person! Oh my gosh, darling. Both of these kids are like dolls.¡± Heinrich placed one hand on his chest and bowed in silence. ¡°Thank you, Madam.¡± It was the perfect nobility etiquette. Only then did I come to my senses and greet her while raising her skirt slightly. ¡°Thank you!¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll see you inside.¡± Laughing, the madam entered the banquet hall with her husband¡¯s arms crossed. ¡°Whew¡­¡± I sighed a little, feeling a little nervous. ¡®Is that person my sponsor?¡¯ Curious, I stared at the lady¡¯s back for a moment, but I didn¡¯t feel anything. Although she said that she gave me a golden rose, it must have been a sign of affection; no further favor or interest was felt. I thought I would meet my sponsor at this meeting today. ¡®Will I be able to recognize him when I meet him?¡¯ Confused with various thoughts, I placed a small hand on my chest. Badump, badump. My heart was beating non-stop. It was the first time I attended an aristocratic party, and my first debut was at an ¡®imperial party¡¯. This was a situation in which even a strong heart could not help but be nervous. Soon, I let out another long breath. ¡°Whew.¡± Then, Heinrich put his hand on my shoulder like a grown-up and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, Sister.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s inevitable that I¡¯m nervous. It¡¯s my first time in a place like this.¡± Heinrich whispered sweetly with his purple eyes curled. ¡°As soon as you enter the banquet hall, people will have no choice but to fall for you. Because you have a special light.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I fell in love with you.¡± My cheeks reddened slightly in the eyes of the serious yet thoughtful boy. ¡°So, don¡¯t worry and just do as usual, my lady.¡± Imitating a fairly mature man, Heinrich gracefully kissed the back of my hand. Kiss¨C ¡°Heinri.¡± I called out the boy¡¯s name and smiled when he raised his lovely lips. At that time, Julius, who had finished talking to the nobles, approached. And he looked closely at the clothes of the two children. Until he thought it was perfect. ¡°Annette, Heinrich. There must be no mistakes today. Remember the ¡®rules¡¯ and stick to them.¡¯ He said, his strict eyes shining through his glasses. ¡°Because nobles have sharp eyes and picky tastes, they find faults faster than anyone else.¡± ¡°Yes, Teacher!¡± ¡°Call me by name. I did not come here as a teacher, but as a secretary to the Trees.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, Julius.¡± When I answered, Julius just turned around with a cold face. ¡°You¡¯d better get in before it¡¯s too late.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go, Sister.¡± Heinrich¡¯s purple eyes lit up and he escorted me like a fairly skilled gentleman. My little heart pounded as I stepped into the imperial court for the first time. *** As I entered, a frantic crowd of nobles asked me questions. It felt much more demanding than taking a level test in the Forest. It seemed like everyone was anxious to find out more about the child they were seeing for the first time. ¡®Heuk-heuk, I want to see Heinrich.¡¯ Heinrich was surrounded by a group of other nobles who were interested in him. It was hard over there too¡­ Our nasty chihuahua should hide his temper. ¡®Whew.¡¯ Just as I was inwardly sighing with concern, a young madam in an elegant ivory dress began to speak. ¡°Then Annette, is it okay if I ask you the next question?¡± ¡°¡­Okay, Countess Asefir. Any question is fine.¡± I was seated in a soft, red velvet chair, with nobles standing around me and looking at me with burdensome smiles. ¡®She seems to have liked the answers I¡¯ve given her so far.¡¯ But I knew. Even if I slipped up in only one of my answers, it would be hell. ¡°Now, suppose Annette is walking in the garden, and a very pretty and beautiful bird has fallen over from exhaustion.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± I was focused. ¡°The bird wandered a lot alone, so it was very dirty. What would Annette do in a situation like this?¡± Usually, the correct answer would be to treat it well, then let it fly away. But¡­ ¡®It¡¯s a trap.¡¯ She attached the words ¡®very pretty and beautiful bird¡¯ to attract children¡¯s interest, but she said it was ¡®dirty¡¯. The nobles of this country never bring dirty things into their houses. They seemed to wonder if I would glance at the poor bird and take care of it with my own hands, ¡®like a normal and good commoner¡¯. ¡®But just turning a blind eye to it is not the answer.¡¯ ¡®If so, then I won¡¯t look innocent.¡¯ In the first place, no matter how I answered it, it was a question that would reduce my score a little. They wanted to see my disposition. I pondered for a moment, then answered with a smile. Chapter 31 ¡°First of all, I will order a maid to take care of the poor bird and heal it¡¯s injury.¡± It was a generous but arrogant, aristocratic answer. It wasn¡¯t 100 points, but it was okay. ¡°Oh, I see.¡± The reaction of the nobles was just so normal. I continued speaking. ¡°And after taking care of that pretty and beautiful bird, I will put it in a cage and present it to my parents who adopted me.¡± ¡°¡­Why?¡± Beautiful and pretty birds were precious, but you must be wondering why I would give it to them as a gift. I replied with a bright smile. ¡°It resembles the affection that my parents who adopted me gave me¡­ Because they are the people who brought me here when I was alone and lost. I want to repay them in some way.¡± I lowered my eyes to stimulate the emotions of adults, and the effect was amazing. The nobles exclaimed softly. ¡°Oh my goodness¡­!¡± ¡°¡­Annette, you have such a commendable idea.¡± ¡°She¡¯s a really smart, pure, lovely kid.¡± ¡°How can you give me such a touching answer¡­¡± A middle-aged man who had reached menopause was moved and dabbed his tears with a handkerchief.(TL/N: based on my experience with this author¡¯s other novel, this sentence is what it is. Well, I guess she wrote it this way because feelings of sadness are one of the most common emotional symptoms of menopause, and yes, men can get it too.) Next to him, his wife whispered, ¡°What a fool!¡± Paak! She lightly hit the top of his balding head, but he couldn¡¯t stop crying. ¡°Then, please excuse me.¡± ¡®I think I¡¯ve gotten enough points.¡¯ I apologized to everyone and got away from the nobles for a while. ¡®Whoa.¡¯ ¡®How many times have there been a crisis?¡¯ It was like stepping into a minefield, step by step. It was really tiring, this socialization training. It was when I was barely breathing. ¡°¡­¡­?¡± A certain gaze was felt from beyond the small table. Rather than an unpleasant gaze, it seemed like I suddenly felt the gaze of a baby squirrel while I was hiking. ¡®Who is that kid?¡¯ The moment our eyes met, he hid so quickly that only his plump cheeks were visible. I became a little curious about the identity of the boy with those cheeks as sticky as glutinous rice, so I got up and walked towards it. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Then the child suddenly turned around and went inside. ¡°Oh, wait!¡± I followed the boy. He stared at me like he had something to say, but why was he running away! Judging by the silhouette, it was clearly a boy. I couldn¡¯t seem to catch him, so I increased my pace and chased after the child. Then I found the child behind the banquet hall. ¡®¡­Hey, I can see everything.¡¯ ¡®Is that supposed to be hiding?¡¯ This time, he hid behind the stone statue, and only his soft, milky ¡®chestnut hair¡¯ was seen. ¡°Hi?¡± When I raised my hand to say hello, the child hurriedly jumped and went inside. ¡°Excuse me! Chestnut!¡± I urgently tried to call him, but he ran so fast that he completely disappeared from view. It was then. There was something stuck to my feet. ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡®I think the chestnut dropped it.¡¯ It was a card. Without hesitation, I picked up the card and opened it. Inside, there was a very cute puppy brooch. ¡°Oh.¡± But it was full of diamonds, so the price would not be cute at all. On the card it was written: ¡¸ Dogs are smart pets, Annette. ¡¹ ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¡®Does he know me? Did he drop this on purpose to give it to me?¡¯ ¡®Dogs are, of course, smart animals.¡¯ I really like cute things, like kids, squirrels and cats. And all the other animal friends. Among them, I definitely love dogs. ¡®What the hell does this message mean?¡¯ I flipped the card over to see if there was any other thing written on it, but that was all the message of the boy with the chestnut hair. But it was then. A loud noise was heard from the banquet hall, enough to take away my nerves about the dog and chestnut at once. ¡°Shit! Don¡¯t touch me!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡®It¡¯s Heinrich¡¯s voice.¡¯ Something must have happened! I hurriedly ran into the banquet hall. *** ¡°Damn it, let me go!¡± Quite a shocking situation was taking place in the banquet hall. Heinrich was being caught by a nobleman and struggling. ¡°You, this guy, what kind of habit is that!¡± The nobleman¡¯s swallow-like mustache was shaking, his entire face expressing the shock of being cursed by a cute yet ferocious child. ¡°I don¡¯t like being touched.¡± The boy¡¯s bold purple eyes were filled with annoyance. ¡®A wound on the cheek!¡¯ It was then that I understood the situation. Come to think of it, that nobleman has been stroking Heinrich since before. I mean, it was because he was so cute. But it wasn¡¯t enough, so he even touched his cheek. ¡®Then he would have been scratched by the ring.¡¯ In the beginning, Heinrich, who hated being touched by others, seemed to be enduring it. But he eventually exploded. Just as expected. ¡°I¡¯m just doing it because you¡¯re cute¡­! You¡¯re such a rude guy. I cut your cheek by accident!¡± ¡°Why are you squealing like that? Knock it off.¡± Heinrich glared and gnawed at him like a kitten who was driven into a corner, uttering harsh words. What he really wanted to say was, ¡®Please don¡¯t touch me. I don¡¯t like it. And my cheek that was scratched by the ring hurt!¡¯ ¨CIt would have been something like that. But the screwed up chihuahua was a defensive, immature and twisted child, so he could only express his temper in that way. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Viscount! I¡¯ll apologize on his behalf.¡± ¡°You, get out of here!¡± As I blocked his way, the viscount pushed my shoulder harshly as if in anger. However, I politely apologized to him again without a single scream. ¡°It¡¯s because Heinrich is afraid of being touched. Viscount, please be generous with the child¡¯s mistakes.¡± ¡°Sister¡­¡± When I appeared, Heinrich¡¯s sharpness softened and his face returned to that of an 11-year-old. It was an expression of belated regret that something happened because of him, which caused me to get involved. ¡°You¡¯re like a wild foal!¡± However, the viscount glared at us with his eyes wide open, there was no sign of his anger easing. Then he furrowed his brows and scratched his head. ¡°No matter how well you receive the education of a noble and wear precious clothes like a noble¡­¡± What I felt in those cold eyes. ¡°You can¡¯t mask the humble origin and blood flowing through your body.¡± It was outright contempt. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± I stiffened as I was holding Heinrich. It was the first time. To be despised by adults like this. ¡®Ah, Heinrich¡­ Sislin.¡¯ All this while, they must have lived while enduring these eyes and words. For the first time, I vaguely realized how hard life must have been for the boys. It was only now that I understood Heinrich¡¯s dislike of socialization training to the point of death. ¡®¡­I¡¯m sorry, Heinrich.¡¯ I didn¡¯t know, and whenever he complained that he didn¡¯t want to go to socialization training, I scolded him¡­ It felt like my body and mind became as small as a mouse hole in an instant in front of the cold adult eyes. It was at the time when one part of my heart was gradually falling apart. ¡°I won¡¯t leave you alone if you talk to my sister like that!¡± The chihuahua rushed in, grabbed the viscount arm, and bit him! ¡°Argh!¡± It was when the viscount was trying to shake Heinrich off, flailing his arms unsightly. There was a quiet, low voice that cut through the commotion. ¡°I hear loud noises on a fun banquet day. What kind of noise is that?¡± For a moment, the surrounding crowd turned their heads all at once and looked back towards the voice. Soon, the nobles gathered around the commotion moved, and the man¡¯s body was clearly revealed. His silver-gray hair, shining calmly under the light, gave him a sense of dignity, while his red eyes exuded a sense of intimidation. Although he had a smile on his lips, he exuded a strange coolness as if he had a thick snake wrapped around the nape of his neck. ¡°¡­Prince!¡± The viscount immediately bowed in great respect. *** Gerard von Axelferion. He was the first prince of the El Dorado Empire, and although he had not yet been appointed as crown prince, he was called the next emperor in name and reality. It was because the ability and talent he had were qualitatively different from other princes. The most extraordinary thing was ¡®presence¡¯. With his appearance, the banquet hall, which had been so noisy, became quiet without a single click. It wasn¡¯t just an illusion. Even the symphony that played in the banquet hall was no longer heard by everyone. The nobles all lowered themselves in unison and bowed down to the prince. ¡®Red eyes!¡¯ I felt faint and bowed down. Maybe it was because he had a different mother from Sislin, but he had a strangely different feeling. ¡®It¡¯s amazing.¡¯ Gerard came close and said, looking down at us with long eyes. ¡°They¡¯re so cute.¡± His eyes, which were overwhelming as if weighing on his opponent, unexpectedly felt warm when he looked at us children. Even his voice was sweet. ¡°Oh, my. How did he hurt his cheek?¡± Gerard noticed Heinrich¡¯s wound and asked. At that time, the viscount intervened with a face full of resentment. ¡°Dear Prince, please punish this spoiled little foal severely!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The prince looked down at Heinrich with a stiff face. Chapter 32 The viscount continued to speak with excitement. ¡°I stroked him a few times because he was cute, and apparently my ring scratched his cheek a little. But sadly, he cursed me out of nowhere! That little child!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t ask the Viscount.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Startled by Gerard¡¯s voice, which suddenly became cold, the viscount took a step back and lowered his head. At that moment, while protecting Heinrirch, I carefully spoke. ¡°Prince, I¡¯m sorry, but on such a fine banquet day, it wasn¡¯t something that should cause a lot of commotion.¡± It was a slight indication that I didn¡¯t want to pursue this matter any more. Then, Gerrard¡¯s sharp eyes softened. ¡°You¡¯re smart. What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°I am Annette.¡± Gerard immediately said to the viscount. ¡°Viscount, it¡¯s difficult for me to touch a child at will. A child¡¯s mind is also important. Besides, isn¡¯t he a guest who brightened up my banquet?¡± ¡°¡­Even so, Your Highness, he dared to curse at a nobleman and an elder, and that was not enough, so he even bit my arm!¡± The more he spoke, the more angry he seemed to be, then he looked at Heinrich and shouted. ¡°This young foal doesn¡¯t know proper etiquette!¡± He took no notice of it. ¡°The offense of insulting a noble should be applied, he should be treated with severe punishment!¡± That, to charge an 11-year-old for insulting a noble was really too much! ¡°If so, should the Viscount¡¯s crime of ¡®insulting the imperial family¡¯ be punished with the death penalty?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± The effect of Gerard¡¯s allusion was great. The viscount¡¯s face became as pale as a corpse. But Gerard¡¯s red eyes were still silent, and his long silver-gray hair that flowed down smoothly did not shake at all. ¡°Aren¡¯t you daring to insult me ??and the imperial family by ruining the imperial banquet?¡± ¡°That, it¡­!¡± ¡°An ¡®old foal¡¯ who doesn¡¯t know good manners can¡¯t attend my banquet.¡± ¡°Y-Your Highness?¡± ¡°See Viscount Abinoche out of the banquet hall.¡± ¡°Your Highness! Your Highness¡­!¡± Simultaneously with the order, the guards clung together and dragged the viscount away. Meanwhile, I thought blankly. ¡®Isn¡¯t an old foal just a horse?¡¯ ¡®¡­It was a strange expression like ¡®old baby chick¡¯, Prince.¡¯ At that moment, a friendly voice reached the top of my head, which was immersed in thought. ¡°This is a gift.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± What Gerard gave me were jellies of various flavors, brightly colored in red, pink, green, and blue. Just looking at it made me salivate, I could just tell it was sweet and sour. I carefully accepted the delicious jelly gift with both hands. ¡°¡­Thank you, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Do you also hate being touched?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m fine!¡± Gerard¡¯s large hand ruffled my hair. The friendly eyes that were looking at me were bent and smiling. ¡°You¡¯re so cute and kind, Annette.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± My face just got red. Receiving praise from the prince! But it wasn¡¯t the time to just be shy. ¡°Your Highness, can my brother¡¯s face be treated please?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll tell the doctor.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Gerard smiled lightly and walked past me. He seemed like a good person. I felt that he treated children as human beings and respected them as people. ¡®I thought his atmosphere was scary earlier.¡¯ Was it just my feeling? I stared at the back of the prince before quickly turning my gaze to Heinrich. ¡°Heinrich, are you okay?¡± ¡®Heuk, my baby. Look at the upset face!¡¯ Heinrich spoke regretfully. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know he was going to drag Sister in.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, Heinrich.¡± ¡°No. I was stupid.¡± Heinrich lowered his beautiful amethyst eyes and bit his lip. ¡®I can¡¯t believe Heinrich was regretting like this.¡¯ Normally, I wouldn¡¯t see him regretting his actions even if he had cursed and was cranky and mean. It was probably because of me. ¡°From now on, when we are together, I will never make anything difficult for Sister in the future.¡± ¡°Heinri¡­¡± I put the sullen Heinrich in my arms and patted him on the back. ¡°If Heinrich is okay, then I¡¯m fine too!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°So, I hope Heinrich wasn¡¯t disappointed with that kind of thing.¡± ¡°¡­Sister.¡± ¡°It all worked out.¡± When I was tenderly comforting Heinri, Julius belatedly came up to us. ¡°There was a little commotion.¡± Oh okay, you¡¯re here now? I released Heinrich from my arms, put strength into my eyes, and looked up at Julius. ¡°Teacher, no, Julius! Where have you been?¡± ¡®You have a duty to protect us.¡¯ Julius pointed his finger to a corner with a weirdly calm face, and he said, ¡°I was watching from the other side.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± I beg your pardon? Julius calmly raised his glasses and added. ¡°This is also the process of ¡®socialization training¡¯. Annette¡¯s value has risen thanks to her wise action. Well done.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡®Later, when Julius goes to the bathroom very urgently, I should rub the ring.¡¯ I quietly vowed for revenge. Julius said he would take Heinrich with him and help with his treatment. I wanted to follow Heinrich too, but before leaving, Julius whispered to me. ¡°If we all leave like this, the image of the Forest will deteriorate. Stay and fix it, Annette.¡± A sigh flowed out. *** ¡®Oh, socialization training is not an ordinary thing either.¡¯ Could I get a sore throat at the age of 12? I patted my own shoulders and stepped out of the banquet hall for a moment, breathing in the garden air. Julius told me to stay and fix the atmosphere, but I didn¡¯t have the strength to do so. I needed some rest too¡­ ¡°Wahhh!¡± What? The sound of crying in a place like this? The ¡®Forest¡¯s eldest sister¡¯ DNA reacted and I walked towards the cry as if possessed. ¡®Oh my, how cute!¡¯ On the floor was a plump, five-year-old girl, flailing her legs and crying. Her orange hair in twin tails was very cute, like carrots. ¡°Hello, young lady. I¡¯m Annette from the Forest. May I ask what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡®Baby, tell this sister. Why are you crying?¡¯ I crouched down and politely asked the little girl. Then, as she wiped the tears away from her big brown eyes with her chubby sausage-like hands, the little lady said; ¡°My butterfly toy went on top of the tree.¡± ¡°Aha! Shall I go and call a guard then?¡± ¡°No!¡± The little lady hastily covered my lips with her small fingers. Then she whispered secretively. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be in big trouble with my mom and dad! That the butterfly toy went so high up¡­¡± ¡°¡­Oh my.¡± She was not old enough to get in trouble for that. Children sometimes couldn¡¯t solve things that could be easily solved because they were afraid of being scolded by adults. I knew that feeling well, so I first confirmed the location of the butterfly toy before saying, ¡°Then I¡¯ll get it for you, young lady.¡± ¡°But, if you fall¡­!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m good at climbing trees like a monkey!¡± I folded my arms and tried to show my biceps. (Though, of course, nothing surprising showed up.) ¡°Then¡­ Please, Sister.¡± ¡®Oh my, she¡¯s cute!¡¯ ¡°Yes!¡± Climbing a tree wasn¡¯t too difficult. There were many more troublemakers in the Forest who put toys on trees, and it was up to me to clean it up. But today, it was just a little annoying because I was wearing a thick dress. Hngh, ngh¡ª I climbed the tree, retrieved the butterfly toy, and hummed to myself as I descended. ¡®Fufu. I¡¯m a good tree climber.¡¯ Right then, Crack¡ª! Feeling the branches breaking, the monkey thought. ¡®Ah, I¡¯m falling from a tree¡­!¡¯ ¡®Soft.¡¯ But the next moment, instead of hitting the ground, I was held in a warm embrace. ¡°¡­Child, are you okay?¡± The voice of the man who caught me was very kind. ¡°Did you get hurt?¡± I carefully checked the man holding me. He had blond hair that looked as sweet as honey and light green eyes. ¡®Look at the dimples.¡¯ A gentle smile with Indian dimples. And he smelled so good.(TL/N: Indian dimples are upper cheek dimples!) ¡°¡­¡­!¡± I covered my mouth with both hands and thought. ¡®Found it. My ideal dad!¡¯ As if falling in love at first sight, I fell in love with the atmosphere of the man. ¡°¡­Hello.¡± The man smiled and returned the butterfly toy to the little girl, who then said to me, ¡°I will definitely repay this favor!¡± before leaving. Then the man carefully sat me down on the bench. ¡°Are you Annette?¡± ¡°¡­Do you know me?¡± ¡°Of course, I sent you a golden rose.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± No, this was such a sweet coincidence. It was hard for someone I like to like me, but someone who I want to be my father wants me as his daughter?! ¡­No, let¡¯s calm down. It¡¯s not that he¡¯s going to adopt me as a daughter yet, it¡¯s just a golden rose. ¡°I liked you so much that I even asked Madam Mimosa for a separate video.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± ¡°Yes, the moment I saw you coming out of the video, my heart raced. I fell in love at first sight like fate.¡± ¡®Dad, me too!¡¯ In my imagination, I already bought carnations for Parents¡¯ Day and put them on his chest. It was when I was singing the entire song of ¡®Father¡¯s Grace¡¯ about 10 times. My ideal dad smiled with his nice face, his Indian dimples showing. ¡°It may be a bit sudden for you, but¡­ Can I please say this?¡± ¡°W-What are you talking about?¡± Badump, badump, badump. ¡°I wanted to tell you this today when I meet you.¡± Uncle Indian Dimple fell on one knee towards me. Then he held out a flower. ¡®Oh my God, he¡¯s trying to adopt me here!¡¯ It was too sudden, but I heard that there were rare cases where a person received a profile and made an ¡®adoption decision¡¯ immediately if he liked the child. ¡®It¡¯s a lovely candy flower.¡¯ ¡®My answer is yes!¡¯ I decided on the answer in my heart and waited for his next words with a pounding heart. Then he asked with a passionate expression on his face. ¡°Annette. Will you please be my daughter-in-law?¡± ¡°¡­¡­?!¡± ¡®What are you saying, sir?¡¯ Chapter 33 ¡°We father and son are really in love with you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The dad and son were dashing at the same time. At an unexpected 1+1, I thought blankly. ¡®He must be crazy rich.¡¯(TL/N: the author inserted a pun! ¡®??¡¯ can mean either ¡®rich¡¯ or ¡®father and son¡¯ depending on the context.) Even so, I couldn¡¯t believe he was thinking of proposing to me to be his daughter-in-law! The aspiring father-in-law in front of me gazed at me and smiled. Truly, that dimpled smile was beautiful. After a moment¡¯s silence, I opened my mouth. ¡°¡­I thank you for thinking well of me, but I¡¯m a little embarrassed.¡± ¡°Ah, it must be so.¡± He scratched the back of the head as if he was a little embarrassed too and said shyly. ¡°The moment I saw you, my eyes went white and my heart was pounding, so I proposed to you.¡± ¡­Please do not make such misleading remarks. Like falling in love with your daughter-in-law. ¡°Who is your son?¡± Although I was proposed to as a daughter-in-law, there was no information about both the person who might become my husband and my prospective father-in-law. Then the handsome dimpled man blushed sharply and said, ¡°Oh my, what was I thinking? Come to think of it, I didn¡¯t even introduce myself, yet I want you to become my daughter-in-law! How crazy must it have seemed.¡± ¡®Do you really think self-introduction is the problem, sir?¡¯ ¡°Let me introduce myself first.¡± The man put his hand on his chest and smiled softly. ¡°My name is Bizet Winston. Usually called Marquis Winston.¡± ¡®He¡¯s a Marquis.¡¯ I didn¡¯t notice he was such a high-ranking nobleman because there was something pure in his behavior. ¡°My son¡¯s name is Kyle. It¡¯s Kyle Winston.¡± Kyle Winston, the name gave me the image of a very strong man. ¡°My son is very noble and polite.¡± Wow. Cool. ¡°He is an intellectual who loves books, but he¡¯s also quite rough. He is a man with a beastly side?¡± ¡®Is he a person with contrasting charms?¡¯ I pondered to myself as I drew an image of Kyle. ¡®Still, his son must be a little old.¡¯ In this country, one had to be at least 17 years old to think about marriage. Well, of course, Heinrich and Sislin were also thinking of getting married, but those kids were a little¡­ What should I say? They¡¯re both a little crazy. I was roughly drawing an image of the person named ¡®Kyle¡¯ in my head. ¡®He is about 185 cm tall. He is very wild like a beast, yet dignified¡ª¡¯ ¡°Oh! Kyle is ten years old this year.¡± ¡­He¡¯s a dignified cutie. ¡°He¡¯s much younger than I thought!¡± I was so surprised that I frankly spit it out, and I thought to myself. ¡®Besides Sislin and Heinrich, another crazy kid just appeared!¡¯ I looked at Bizet with trembling eyes. Father, you have an unconventional view of education to deliver a proposal to a ten-year-old. I had little intention of agreeing from the beginning, but since it was like this, of course, it would be a refusal. ¡°So, Marquis¡­¡± ¡°Oh and! I didn¡¯t tell you what he looks like.¡± Bizet softened his green eyes and smiled innocently with his Indian dimpled face. Then pointed his finger at his own face. ¡°When my son is all grown up, he will look like this. He looks very similar to me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Suddenly, it seemed that becoming his daughter-in-law wouldn¡¯t be a bad thing. ¡®Isn¡¯t it basically cheating to say that the potential husband is an ¡®innocent handsome¡¯ guy?¡¯ I almost said I¡¯d be his daughter-in-law, but luckily, the strong bakery owner genes calmed me down. Besides, I was a little too young to become a daughter-in-law. Twelve was a pretty decent age, but still not old enough to have a father-in-law already. ¡®Ten years old is not the age to have a wife.¡¯ I was sure he would like it a little now, but he would get bored of it in a few years. Ten years old was the age at which one would go ¡®this is good today, but tomorrow¡¯s is better¡¯. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Marquis Winston.¡± As I watched him hand out the candy flowers, I politely said, ¡°I have no intention of choosing a marriage partner already.¡± I thought he would be disappointed, even just a little, but he was a much stronger man than I thought. ¡°Of course. I also thought it would be difficult for Annette to make a decision right away.¡± Bizet smiled and tapped my nose. ¡°So, let¡¯s start with ¡®reservation¡¯ as a future daughter-in-law.¡± What? Reservation?(TL/N: ¡®?¡¯ typically means ¡®steamed¡¯, but as a slang, ¡®?¡¯ or the verb form ¡®???¡¯ means ¡®it¡¯s mine now, so don¡¯t touch it¡¯. ¡®Dibs¡¯ might be a better way of expressing it, but I thought ¡®reservation¡¯ will suit the marquis more.) He said with a burning will in his gentle eyes. ¡°I will definitely make you my daughter-in-law.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?!¡± ¡®Does this worldview mean that even my father-in-law is an obsessive maniac?¡¯ He placed the candy flower in my arms, and, still on one knee, held my hand carefully and preciously. ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t intend to be burdensome. But we will wait for your choice.¡± ¡°If its ¡®we¡¯¡­ ¡± Bizet raised his index finger and gave a refreshing answer. ¡°Oh, my son has already declared that he will not marry anyone but you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?!¡± For a ten-year-old, it was too extreme! My God, Kyle seemed to be the most extreme kid out of all the ten-year-olds. ¡®I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s already declared his entire life at that age. Then you should have stopped him, Father!¡¯ But Bizet continued speaking with a soft smile like castella. ¡°So I gladly told him to go ahead.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± From the innocent smile of my father-in-law, I felt a gentle madness. ¡®I think I know what his son looks like.¡¯ But just because a 10-year-old made such a decision didn¡¯t mean I was very bothered. Like I said before, it was the age where fickleness was boiling over and the things one likes change quickly. But there was something strange about it. ¡°Did your son know me beforehand?¡± It was a bit strange to decide on marriage just by looking at the profile. Then Bizet said with a smile. ¡°He already knows Annette.¡± I knew it. But how does he know me? ¡®It¡¯s Kyle¡­¡¯ It was a name I had never heard of. I had never heard of it. ¡°May I ask how your son got to know me, Marquis?¡± I was really curious about this. Unbeknownst to me, he fell in love with me (though it¡¯s a bit embarrassing to say this) and he wanted to get married. ¡°That¡­¡± Bizet¡¯s pale green eyes became taciturn, and he swung his hand towards me. ¡°I¡¯ll come closer to your ears for a moment.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Badump, badump, badump. I perked my ears with a little nervousness. Then a friendly voice whispered in my ear. ¡°That¡¯s a secret!¡± ¡®¡­You¡¯re surprisingly good at catching people, Father. I am even more curious now.¡¯ Now Bizet looked at me and asked carefully. ¡°If you have any questions, how about meeting my son and asking him directly?¡± ¡°Did your son attend the banquet?¡± ¡°But of course. After hearing the news that Annette was coming to the imperial banquet, he had trouble sleeping for a few days. Just like the day before a picnic!¡± ¡°Fufu.¡± It was kind of cute and adorable, so I wanted to meet that little boy. ¡°I¡¯m going to the banquet hall to find Kyle, would Annette like to rest for a while?¡± Bizet seemed to know exactly why I came out into the garden. At his thoughtful suggestion, I lowered my eyes and smiled. ¡°Yes, Marquis.¡± *** ¡®The Marquis of Winston. I think I learned it in class. It¡¯s a family that exterminates demonic beasts with magic bullets.¡¯ In the Forest, as a liberal arts subject, we learned the history of major noble families. The same was true for ¡®The Marquis of Winston¡¯. It was hard to imagine that innocent father-in-law just shooting magic bullets at monsters or beasts, but anyway, it was a venerable family that appeared in the founding tale. If I was associated with such a family, a peaceful bakery life could be difficult. It was the moment when I realized that I had entered a deep part of the garden unknowingly while walking in thought. I heard ¡®that sound¡¯. ¡°¡­¡­?¡± It was a small whisper, but because of the speaker¡¯s hoarse voice, the content could be heard well. ¡°I did my best. I¡¯ve looked for all sorts of ways. But I couldn¡¯t find a way in the end.¡± ¡®The voice and content are somewhat secretive. They don¡¯t want anyone to hear.¡¯ Instinctively, I hid behind a tree and looked for the voice. There was a man kneeling there. It was an old man with gray hair, dressed in a neat white priest¡¯s robe. ¡®Is he a priest?¡¯ Also, looking at the black collar worn around his neck, he was a ¡®high priest¡¯. Another voice came in reply to the high priest¡¯s words. ¡°Is that all that High Priest Arthur has to say to me?¡± ¡®This voice!¡¯ It was a voice I knew. It was a voice I heard recently. No, it was a voice I just heard. ¡®The Prince, it¡¯s Gerard¡¯s voice.¡¯ As I turned my head slightly, the face of the man standing in front of the high priest was revealed. Long silver-gray hair and red eyes that were as beautiful as a gift. ¡°The terrible thing I am suffering from is not a disease, but rather, a ¡®curse¡¯.¡± ¡®What? The prince is ill, no, he is cursed?¡¯ It was only then that I realized the reason they were talking secretly in such a deep part of the garden. He was the perfect prince in every way, but he was cursed so badly; he really wouldn¡¯t want to let anyone know. ¡°So it was you, Arthur, who said that healing should be done with divine power, not with medicinal herbs.¡± ¡°I deeply apologize, Prince. We tried our best in the Great Temple, but we couldn¡¯t find a way to break the curse.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s impossible even for the Great Temple?¡± A shadow fell over Gerard¡¯s face. The glare in his red eyes was a total 180 degrees change from when he handed jelly to a child at the party. I felt chills, because it looked like the eyes of a killer that would slice the heart of his opponent without a blink of an eye. As if submitting to those red eyes, the high priest put his forehead to the ground and shouted. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Prince! However, you don¡¯t have to worry about that because it was carried out in secret as you ordered. I put the magic of oblivion on the priests who participated in this.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°And I¡¯m not going to tell anyone about this either!¡± It was an oath to keep Gerard¡¯s secret. The high priest raised his head and spoke as obedient as a dog. Listening to that earnest vow with a bored face, Gerard narrowed his red eyes. ¡°How old are you this year?¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± At the unexpected question, High Priest Arthur seemed a bit perplexed, then smiled quickly and said, ¡°Yes, Prince. I will soon be seventy. In two days, my grandson¡¯s wedding will be held.¡± ¡°You have lived long enough.¡± Gerard¡¯s blade cut the high priest¡¯s head off at once. Chapter 34 I covered my mouth in shock at the terrible sight unfolding before my eyes. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Gerard slightly flicked the blood-soaked blade before putting it back in its sheath. ¡®He made him stay silent and keep the secret by killing him!¡¯ I realized once again how thorough Gerard was. It was only natural that the image of the warm prince who offered me jelly was blown away at once. While his assistant cleared the body, Gerard slowly took a cigarette out and lit it. In the darkness, his bright red pupils blazed with a dazzling light. ¡®I¡¯m scared.¡¯ It was when I was crouching down. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Gerard¡¯s red pupil was staring in my direction. ¡®Crazy. Maybe, did he find out?¡¯ I didn¡¯t make a sound at all and I even took small breaths? The distance between us was so far that even the most sensitive swordsman wouldn¡¯t feel a presence. I held my breath like a withered squirrel, stuck close to the tree and prayed. Please, please don¡¯t come this way, please. It was then. ¡°Sister!¡± Heinrich¡¯s voice was heard from afar. ¡°¡­¡­¡± The assistant¡¯s gaze was sharply focused on it. Gerard scattered the smoke leisurely with his eyes directed towards the floor, then he threw the cigarette that had burned short by his feet. Then the two left without a word. Like a mirage. ¡°Sister!¡± ¡®¡­Ha, ha, I lived.¡¯ I slid down the tree and sat down. Heuk-heuk, my baby¡¯s timing is the best. ¡°Heinrich!¡± After a while, I hurriedly went to Heinrich. ¡®It would be better for him to not see bloodstains!¡¯ I was afraid that Heinrich would get involved in useless affairs or worries, so I hurriedly ran away. By the way¡­ ¡°Huh?¡± There were no bloodstains around. There was no sign that anyone had died here. I was confused as if I had seen a ghost. ¡®Incredibly quick fixing skills.¡¯ ¡®I don¡¯t think he¡¯s done it once or twice.¡¯ It was at that time when I stopped and took a step back when I thought of the bloody sword. I found something shiny at my feet. ¡®What is that?¡¯ I picked the item up and looked at it. It was a luxurious ¡®cigarette case¡¯ made of chrome, with brown leather wrapped around the edges. The case was engraved with the royal emblem. The thought of naively picking it up and looking for its owner did not come to mind at first. It was just suspicious. ¡®Is this a trap?¡¯ Purposely dropping an object at the scene so as to find the suspicious person who peeked at him¡­? ¡®¡­It can¡¯t be.¡¯ If that was the case, it would have been a less precious thing. There was even a part in the original story where Gerard struggled to find his lost cigarette case. He had a hard time because it vanished without a trace, and Heinrich, who was in the Imperial Palace at that time, was pointed out as the culprit. ¡®It means that there is no tracking magic on it in any way.¡¯ If there was, there would be no need to have such a hard time when it disappeared. Should I just leave it on the floor? But, if I do that, someone else might accidentally pick it up and be misunderstood, and might end up getting ¡®seukk¡¯!(TL/N: Haha, as in, having his head sliced off, aka, killed.) ¡®No. no way.¡¯ It might be better for me, who knew the entire situation, to keep it. Since it was the prince¡¯s precious item, it would probably come in handy someday. I quickly kept the cigarette case. Heinrich finally reached me, and while carefully examining my face, he said, ¡°Sister, why are you so pale? What happened?¡± ¡°No, I guess it¡¯s because I¡¯ve been exposed to the night breeze for a long time.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for you for a long time. Don¡¯t go around alone without me. The Imperial Palace is dangerous.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± I lowered my eyebrows and tried hard to smile. *** ¡®Ah, I feel better after eating cheesecake.¡¯ I felt a little bit better when I shoved delicious things into my mouth out of anxiety and fear. If I were a real 12-year-old kid, I would have burst into tears by now, but fortunately, being an adult from my previous life was holding my mind firm. Moreover, the scene of the murder felt it was from a movie, and there was no sense of reality. If it was like this, should I say it was a relief? ¡°Heinrich, have you ever seen a person die?¡± Heinrich scratched his pretty cheek and raised an eyebrow. ¡°What, of course. I see it when I go out to the plaza, people¡¯s heads that were cut off were hung there.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Last time, I saw someone stoned to death for harassing a nobleman¡¯s daughter.¡± How could such a cruel thing happen? Of course, it was a crime of harassment and he deserved to die. But was it common to see people die at the age of 11? As I trembled like a wet rabbit, Heinrich narrowed his left eye and looked at me. ¡°Sister is so gentle and kind.¡± ¡®¡­No, this kid.¡¯ ¡®This kid is violent!¡¯ ¡®Is there a generation gap?¡¯ Because it was not uncommon for people to die in this world. ¡°Still, Sister shouldn¡¯t look at it. Because it¡¯s not a good thing.¡± Heinrich said, stroking my hair like an adult. I answered quietly. ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡®Hehehehe, I¡¯ve actually seen it already, Heinrich.¡¯ I gulped, swallowing my saliva to counteract the shock, and bit a cherry tart. Seeing me like that, Heinrich narrowed his eyes. ¡°Then why did you ask? Where have you seen people die?¡± ¡°¡­No?¡± I shook my head hastily. For some reason, I thought it would be better if no one knew what I had seen. With trembling eyes, I glanced at Gerard, who was sitting down and drinking wine as if reigning over the crowd. He had an innocent face. He was still the first prince with perfect abilities, perfect personality, and perfect qualities. ¡®How can he be so carefree after slicing someone¡¯s neck?¡¯ It was no different from a person who came after doing the business. Just then, Gerard¡¯s eyes met mine. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± I pretended not to look at him as much as possible, and instead, looked at the nearby statue with blurred eyes. Gerrard smiled warmly at me. ¡®Heuk, heuk. Scary. It¡¯s scary.¡¯ Let¡¯s never get involved in the future. I shouldn¡¯t even mess around with Gerard. I picked up the cigarette case for nothing. I should bury it in the ground of the deepest part of the Forest and not take it out until I become an old grandmother. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s ask Julius to go back early today, Heinrich.¡± ¡°Should I?¡± ¡°Yes! Please!¡± Heinrich raised his pretty eyes and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s your first socialization training, so you must be tired. Okay, Sister. I¡¯ll tell Julius to come. Wait here.¡± I nodded my head. I was a bit tired. After going through an imperial banquet and socialization training, I just wanted to return to the Forest and hug the children. ¡®¡­I want to stop looking at scary things and see nice and pretty things.¡¯ At that time, as if reading my thoughts, a nice and pretty person walked up to me at just the right time. ¡°Annette.¡± It was my aspiring father-in-law with a dimpled grin, the innocent Marquis Bizet. Without hesitation, he knelt down in front of me on one knee, made eye contact with me, who was far shorter than him, and smiled kindly. ¡°Come to think of it, there was one more present I prepared for Annette.¡± Bizet took out a small bottle from his pocket. Before I even opened the lid, the sweet smell of raspberries was already wafting around me, making me salivate. There were sweets as pretty as jewels inside. ¡°The city¡¯s sweets shop¡¯s staff said it¡¯s the favorite sweets of noble children.¡± ¡°¡­Marquis.¡± It was very touching that he thought about meeting me and prepared a gift. ¡°Share it with your friends.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you very much, Marquis!¡± He quietly blushed, put his fist in front of his mouth, and coughed in vain. ¡°It would be better if you called me ¡®Father¡¯ instead of ¡®Marquis¡¯. Hmm?¡± ¡°¡­Oh.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a joke.¡± When I was surprised, he quickly fixed it. ¡®I don¡¯t think you¡¯re joking. Obsessive father-in-law, gwanggong.¡¯ ¡°Why are you here alone?¡± Earlier, he said he was going to introduce his son. ¡°Ah, that¡­¡± Bizet scratched the back of his head and smiled. ¡°Kyle is so shy. Could Annette come with me to where Kyle is¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯d like that!¡± ¡®How shy is he?¡¯ *** ¡®Ah, that child!¡¯ I went to see Kyle and was surprised. The boy was hiding behind the sofa, with only his chestnut-like hair sticking out. ¡®The chestnut earlier¡­!¡¯ Bizet carefully escorted me and led me to the front of the sofa. ¡°I¡¯ve brought a lady, Kyle. You have to say hi.¡± ¡­Lady? I secretly dusted off the tart crumbs on my hands. ¡®A lady can¡¯t make it obvious that she ate a snack.¡¯ The meeting of a lady and gentleman! The chestnut gentleman wasn¡¯t able to get out from the back of the sofa because he was too shy. ¡°Oh, hello. Annette.¡± ¡®Oh my, he¡¯s still a child, but his voice and vocalization are good.¡¯ In addition, his pronunciation and tone of voice was noble itself. Unlike his shy attitude, his way of speaking, which was like a complete nobleman, was a twist. He spoke politely again. ¡°My lady, I¡¯m shy, so can I talk to you like this for a while?¡± ¡°Yes, gentleman.¡± ¡°¡­Please forgive my rudeness.¡± I held back my laughter. ¡®He¡¯s so cute. Talking behind the sofa because he¡¯s too shy.¡¯ I just came across a rushing chihuahua, so this chestnut boy was very fresh. Then, siik¡ª A tense little hand emerged from behind the sofa. In his hand was a cute white flower. Buduel, buduel. ¡°Please take this flower.¡± The flower coming towards me was trembling so much it¡¯s bud was doing a shaky dance. In the end, I couldn¡¯t hold back my laughter and snorted, ¡°Heheh.¡± CH 35 Episode 35: What Makes A Secret, A Secret (III) ¡°This is my small sincerity, my lady.¡± Baduel, baduel. ¡®A small sincerity that shakes 100 times a second? Young gentleman.¡¯ I smiled softly and accepted the flowers. At that time, my hand slightly grazed his. ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± The chestnut bracken-like hand flinched like a surprised squirrel, woosh! He hid behind the sofa. ¡®Ah, the baby must have been surprised.¡¯ ¡°Thank you so much, gentleman.¡± However, this soft chestnut gentleman did not answer for a moment. Bizet, who was watching, called his son¡¯s name, ¡°Kyle?¡±. Then, after taking a brief deep breath, chestnut said, ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m sorry. My heart is pounding so much.¡± ¡®Chestnut gentleman is cute, heuk-heuk.¡¯ I held back my laughter for a bit, fearing that I might laugh again through my nose. Before I knew it, the boy¡¯s fingertips were burning up again on the sofa. ¡°Lady.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Again, unlike his shy attitude, his tone and accent were very noble. ¡°After I become an adult, can I formally propose to the lady?¡± ¡­What a bulldozer comment at the age of 10! Was this the ¡®beastly¡¯ side of Kyle that Bizet was talking about? I glanced at Bizet¡¯s eyes. It was saying, ¡®My son is good!¡¯ With cheering eyes, he was shooting his gaze enthusiastically at the sofa. ¡®I can¡¯t refuse.¡¯ It seemed like if I refused, the father and son would cry into their blankets next to each other tonight. I happily replied with a smile. ¡°Okay, gentleman.¡± After all, the chestnut gentleman wouldn¡¯t even remember this promise when he becomes an adult. ¡®Umm, my baby is trembling so much, let¡¯s give him a ride.¡¯ ¡°As I heard from Marquis Winston, Kyle seems to be a gentle and wonderful person.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Kyle didn¡¯t answer for a moment. However, behind the sofa, I could see the chestnut head resting in embarrassment. I just chuckled inwardly and laughed. Then, Bizet, Marquis Winston, answered with a proud face. ¡°Of course! My son is a very attractive man. I want to show you more of that¡­ Ah, Annette. May I serve you a meal at the Marquis of Winston?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡®Is he inviting me to his residence?¡¯ ¡®What a bulldozer, even the aspiring father-in-law!¡¯ ¡®Is being a bulldozer a family trait?¡¯ As if he had read my expression for a moment, Bizet added hastily. ¡°Not today. However, I want to visit Taran Boulevard (the most popular shopping street in the region) with you and buy you a book.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Marquis¡­ I think that would be a little burdensome.¡± ¡°As your sponsor, I would like to do that for you, simply.¡± ¡°¡­Are you my sponsor?¡± I was genuinely surprised. ¡®The sponsor I have been curious about since yesterday is Marquis Winston?!¡¯ In front of me, who had my eyes widened in surprise, Bizet awkwardly stroked the back of his head with an Indian dimpled smile. He was shy. His shy figure was even more stunning, just like the image of a young man created by God with love. ¡°Well, I was sponsoring and without realizing it, I fell in love with you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Ah, if other people hear it, they would misunderstand! ¡®Please add that you fell in love as a father-in-law, Marquis.¡¯ ¡®You are a bulldozer supporter looking for a daughter-in-law with such an angelic appearance.¡¯ Perhaps the true obsessive maniac of this novel was¡­? It wasn¡¯t that much of a big deal, but I felt grateful and friendly to Bizet, who liked me and supported me like that. Maybe the distance in my heart narrowed when I actually saw the sponsor I was curious about. ; In fact, if one stayed in the Forest, one would rarely see the downtown area. I have always wanted to visit ¡®Taran Boulevard¡¯, the busiest street in the region. I heard that the crepes sold there were very delicious. In addition, when I get close to chestnut, I would be able to hear where he saw me and why he liked me, right? ¡®And I¡¯ll see his face.¡¯ ¡®He¡¯s not going to carry a sofa around even in the downtown area, is he?¡¯ As I was thinking about it, I heard a small voice from behind the sofa. ¡°Please¡­ it would be an honor if you could come, lady.¡± ¡®Is the baby unusually courageous?¡¯ I have to respond too. I smiled broadly. ¡°I like that.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The father and son duo clenched their fists at the same time and exclaimed, ¡°Yes!¡± They were like a large rice ball and a small rice ball, so I also laughed a little. ¡®They both act like each other.¡¯(TL/N: ¡®???¡¯ literally means ¡®fish bread¡¯, the name of red bean paste-filled pastries that resemble a carp. But in slang, it¡¯s used to tell a person they look like someone else.) I laughed a lot. It made me feel so happy that they were happy that I accepted the invitation. ¡°Then take this, Annette.¡± ¡°What is this, Marquis?¡± The object that Marquis Winston brought out was small enough to fit in the palm of my hand, and was in the shape of a brooch. In the center, a green magic stone the size of a pearl shone, and elaborate patterns crafted with gold adorned it. At first glance, it was an expensive item. ¡°It¡¯s a multi-purpose teleport.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Here, in this worldview, not only the abilities and magic, but also magical tools themselves were rare. But it was not a one-time thing, it was a multi-use teleport! I had no idea how much this would cost. Of course, if I used it two or three times, the magical power would disappear, but it would be worth as much as a necklace full of diamonds. ¡®He is willing to give me something like this.¡¯ I could see the sincerity in your wealth. In front of me, who couldn¡¯t hide my curiosity and observed the magic tool, Bizet got down on one knee and gently made eye contact. ¡°If you click, press, or touch this jewel, you¡¯ll teleport to the Marquisate of Winston.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite a distance from the forest to the Marquisate of Winston, so if the little lady goes by carriage, you will get tired. So, why don¡¯t you come over to Marquisate immediately, eat first, and then go downtown together?¡± ¡­Was personality proportional to good looks? ¡®Wait a minute, then why is Heinrich¡¯s personality¡­?¡¯ As the thought stretched out, I shook my head violently. Then I answered with a soft smile. ¡°Okay, Marquis! I think it¡¯ll be really fun.¡± Bizet smiled happily. ¡°I¡¯ll send you an invitation in three days.¡± I had seen a few cases where sponsors invited their Tree out, and Madam Mimosa always gladly accepted it. Spending time with sponsors was something the Forest recommended. Thanks to this, I was able to answer immediately. ¡°Yes. I like that.¡± ¡°Oh, be careful not to accidentally touch the teleport magic tool first.¡± Ummm, it couldn¡¯t touch my clothes instead of my hands? While I was puzzled, Bizet cautiously whispered to me. ¡°If the clothes touch first, only the ¡®clothes¡¯ you are wearing will be teleported.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± *** ¡®Oh my, I have to be careful.¡¯ After saying goodbye to the Winstons and leaving, I carefully shoved the teleport magic tool into the pocket on the inside of the dress. If I accidentally teleported only my clothes in the Imperial Palace, uh, I was really imagining it. I didn¡¯t even want to. Dok, dok¡ª It was when I was poking my cheeks with my hands. Suddenly, Heinrich appeared from the corner. ¡°Sister! What, I¡¯ve been looking for you for a while. Where have you been?¡± ¡°Ugh, just¡­!¡± ¡®If I say that I had been proposed to, this crazy chihuahua might destroy the Imperial Palace.¡¯ I smiled awkwardly as I looked into the bright purple eyes that showed a strong personality. Julius, who approached late, said, ¡°I heard you asked to complete your socialization training today, Annette.¡± ¡°Yes, I just want to go back, Julius.¡± Please. There¡¯s a scary prince here! I remembered the nightmare I had forgotten for a moment while meeting the angelic father and son. Julius said with a sigh¡ª raising his glasses. ¡°There are still many nobles to say hello to, but¡­ It is judged that it is not good to overdo it in the first socialization training. Besides, Annette did a good job today, so let¡¯s finish this.¡± ¡°Oh, yes.¡± Heinrich was very happy. Of course, I was relieved too. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s go and thank the Crown Prince for inviting us.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes?!¡± ¡®I beg your pardon? Julius, wait a minute. Who are we going to say thanks to?¡¯ ¡°Just in time, he¡¯s coming over here.¡± At this moment, while I was panicking, I saw a tall man walking towards me. It was Prince Gerard. The cool red eyes under his elegant silver-gray hair felt terrifying once again. Gulp¨C While I was nervously swallowing my saliva, Heinrich and Julius set a respectful example to him. I barely bowed down one tempo slower. ¡°It¡¯s a pity that you¡¯re leaving. It would be nice to enjoy the banquet a little more, Annette.¡± His cool eyes lit up with a warm glow as he looked at me. ¡®¡­Did Gerard memorize my name?¡¯ ¡®I¡¯ve only said it once.¡¯ ¡®Does he have a good memory? Or does he have a special interest in me?¡¯ ¡°Is there anything lacking in the Imperial Palace banquet?¡± ¡°¡­No. The banquet was great and the Prince treated me well, but I was a little nervous, so I wasn¡¯t feeling well.¡± ¡°It¡¯s unfortunate.¡± In response to my modest model student-like answer, the prince gently reached out to stroke my hair. It was then. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Dundun¨C What came to mind was his cruel figure as he blew the high priest away. Without realizing it, I avoided his touch, and Gerard looked at me. ¡°¡­¡­¡± My heart was pounding at the sight of his eyes that became sharp in an instant, as if they could pierce. If it was found out that I witnessed the murder and had his ¡®cigarette case¡¯, would I die? Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only Just like High Priest Arthur, who was silenced by death because he knew the secret. It was then. Gerard¡¯s sharp gaze moved downward. Towards my pocket with the case in it. ¡®Oh my God!¡¯ I shut my eyes tight. CH 36 At the moment when my heart was burning. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Prince. Annette must have been really nervous.¡± Julius intervened sensibly. ¡°It looks like that.¡± He wasn¡¯t particularly conscious of my pockets, and fortunately, he immediately raised his gaze and looked at my face. ¡®I have to come to my senses.¡¯ This could be misunderstood as being suspicious. He was the first prince who was perfect in many ways, and he was also called the ¡®next emperor¡¯ in this bloody imperial family. A man in that position would be quick to sense and have excellent instincts, so he would feel suspicious. I needed a proper excuse. I lowered my eyes as if I was sorry. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Prince. The children in the Forest have a lot of wounds in their hearts¡­ Sometimes I get scared like this by a sudden approach.¡± ¡°Oh, my.¡± A slight look of disappointment crossed Gerard¡¯s face. He was reminded of the fact that ¡®the children of the Forest are orphans, so there may be traumas of being bullied.¡¯ ¡®Of course I never had that, but¡­¡¯ It was an appropriate excuse to get out of the situation. Gerard put his hand on my head slowly and said sweetly. ¡°Child, this hand will never hurt you. I swear.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you. Prince.¡± ¡®Lies, I think you¡¯ll hurt me.¡¯ No matter the extent the old man knew about his secret, he still killed him. The old man who fell down and begged like an obedient dog that he would keep it a secret. ¡®Perhaps the High Priest begged because he knew Gerard¡¯s true nature.¡¯ Therefore, in order not to die, he must have put a spell of oblivion on the priests who knew the secret and swore that he would also crack down on them. ¡®Even so, he killed him with a single strike.¡¯ In the end, the high priest could not even see his grandson¡¯s wedding two days later and became a cold corpse. ¡­A man who was merciless to an old man would surely be merciless to a child. I smiled like I wasn¡¯t scared, and Gerard finally removed his hand. ¡°Will you accept my invitation again next time?¡± ¡°Anytime.¡± ¡®Heuk-heuk, I will never come.¡¯ I hid my feelings and answered appropriately. Gerard seemed satisfied, so he briefly greeted Julius and Heinrich and then left. ¡®¡­I lived.¡¯ Hwooh, it could have been a disaster. I was so nervous in front of Gerard that when he left, my legs became like squid, totally limp. My body staggered like a flower sticking out from a chestnut. ¡°Sister, are you okay?¡± Heinrich quickly supported me and shook his head. ¡°He¡¯s so annoying¡­ Rubbish, why was he touching Sister¡¯s hair. I don¡¯t like it!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡®Ah, our Heinrich is relentless!¡¯ Unsurprisingly, Julius lowered his voice in a hurry with a plastered smile on his face. ¡°Heinrich! How many times have I told you to be careful with your words in the Imperial Palace? How dare you say such a thing about the prince.¡± The boy¡¯s eyes lit up coldly. ¡°What should I do when my opponent is a prince?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°If he makes Sister uncomfortable, I won¡¯t leave him alone.¡± It was a face with 100% sincerity. Julius touched his forehead as if it was throbbing and said; ¡°Anyway, today¡¯s accident has made you a great notoriety to the El Dorado Imperial family, Heinrich.¡± Heinrich looked at Julius with a face full of dissatisfaction while hugging me. But as usual, like a damn chihuahua, ¡®Wa!¡¯ He couldn¡¯t refute it.. ¡®I guess I¡¯m tied up.¡¯ Because I was also involved in that, and so I would have to reflect on it. Julius said, calmly pointing at Heinrich. ¡°I can¡¯t stand your bad attitude any longer. I will report this to Madam Mimosa.¡± Soon, with a sullen face, Heinrich said, ¡°Sheesh,¡± and turned his head. ¡°Annette¡­¡± Julius looked at me belatedly and relaxed his expression a little. ¡°You showed a great figure befitting a Tree.¡± Julius, who never praised me, praised me for some reason. But I was too exhausted to be happy. Soon he opened the carriage¡¯s door with a polite and dignified gesture. ¡°Now, officially, the first socialization training is over. Well done everyone. Trees.¡± ¡­It was really a socialization training with a lot of things going on. After all the twists and turns, this was the end. I sat in the carriage and sighed. ¡®Will Heinrich be scolded a lot?¡¯ *** ¡°Sislin¡¯s getting scolded a lot!¡± ¡°What?!¡± As soon as I returned to the Forest, I received unexpected news. Unlike us, Sislin, who had been invited to a quiet salon gathering of nobles, had a major accident there. ¡®That gentle and kind Sislin¡­?¡¯ I was startled and asked Sasha. ¡°What happened to Sislin?¡± Did he have an accident because he was nervous? Well, our cute, docile and naive baby (this was spoken with severe bean pods) was probably very nervous in an unfamiliar place and made a small mistake¡ª ¡°Wow, they said he burned an entire table. Completely!¡± ¡­Arson! ¡®No, doing such a thing like Heinrich?!¡¯ My pupils shook. Even that Heinrich had never committed arson before. Sasha said with her pink hair puffed up like cotton candy. ¡°He even burned the hair of the nobles with candles!¡± ¡°Oh, really¡­?¡± I covered my mouth in shock. It felt like Julius didn¡¯t really care about us because he was absent in the middle of the banquet, but now I fully understand why. He had been busy fixing the arson case in the salon. He didn¡¯t show it to us though; no matter how mean Julius was, his professionalism as a noble etiquette teacher was worth recognizing. Heinrich¡¯s ¡®minor and common abusive language¡¯ was not a big deal due to the great arsonist¡¯s performance. When Madam Mimosa¡¯s harsh discipline was over, I went to the dormitory to meet Sislin. ¡°What about Sislin?¡± Julien answered with twinkling big sky-blue eyes. ¡°Oh, Sislin didn¡¯t come here. Sniff.¡± So where did he go? ¡°Hmm,¡± I hummed alongside Julien¡¯s runny nose. I thought hard about where Sislin could be. ¡®If¡­¡¯ Would he be there? I went up to the empty room we used as a ¡®hideout¡¯. It was as I expected. The boy was sitting by the window where the moonlight was falling and looking out, holding his chin. ¡°Sislin!¡± He, who was pensive, looked over at my call. For a moment, a smile appeared on his face. ¡°Annette.¡± ¡®Umm, he looks better than I thought?¡¯ ¡°What happened? I heard that Madam Mimosa scolded you a lot. If¡­ Oh my goodness! Look at your legs!¡± He looked fine, so I thought he was okay, but as I got closer, I noticed that his calves were a mess. It was all dark red. As soon as I saw it, my heart ached. ¡°Have you been hit on the calf, Sislin?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Sislin answered calmly. Last time, when Heinrich had been beaten, he was in so much pain that he cried all night in my arms. So it couldn¡¯t be okay? ¡°Wait a minute!¡± I hurriedly went to the infirmary, borrowed a first aid kit, and returned. Then, I began to disinfect the wounds on Sislin¡¯s calves and gently apply the ointment. Sislin removed his leg as if he was sorry. ¡°I¡¯m really fine¡­¡± ¡°You look so injured, what are you talking about, Sisl!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind at all.¡± But I do. Because it felt like the scars that had been drawn on Sislin¡¯s calves were also appearing on my chest. I carefully applied the ointment to the wounds, blowing gently. Wouldn¡¯t it be great if there was a potion that could heal everything all at once? But I couldn¡¯t steal it this time. If Madam Mimosa finds out that this scar is gone, Sislin would be punished more severely. ¡°¡­¡­¡± While applying the medicine, Sislin did not take his red eyes off me. I pressed down on my upset heart, and after finished treatment, I looked straight at Sislin and asked: ¡°Sisl, you didn¡¯t accidentally start the fire, did you?¡± At first, I thought that Sislin¡¯s mistake might have been inflated and delivered to the children. But looking at the whip marks, it wasn¡¯t. Madam Mimosa never used a whip for ¡®mistakes¡¯. Because children were people who made mistakes. However, if you intentionally committed a nefarious act, and it didn¡¯t go unnoticed¡­ In that case, you would be whipped or severely punished as he was now. ¡°Why is that¡­?¡± I didn¡¯t mean to rebuke him, but I asked with a really upset heart. ¡°You never intentionally caused trouble, huh? Sisl.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Various emotions flashed across Sislin¡¯s face in an instant. Those emotions formed in the boy¡¯s eyes, burning like a midsummer sunset. Soon after, Sislin turned his head and answered calmly. ¡°Just because..¡± Just because. He implied many words that he could not say to the girl in just two letters. When Sislin went to the salon this evening, his popularity among the nobles was great. The new special level 1 boy was talented and, even though he was young, he created a unique atmosphere that was difficult to reach. The nobles read the atmosphere with dignity. Finally, a ¡®finished product¡¯ that completely compensated for Heinrich¡¯s personality flaws was released. ¡°This Tree is really nice. If we adopt him, it is sure to brighten up the name of the family in the future¡­ It¡¯s worth the money.¡± ¡°Are you going to compete with us? We also want to adopt this boy.¡± However, in proportion to the favor of the nobles, the anxiety of Sislin increased. He told Heinrich, ¡®I will ask them to adopt her as their daughter-in-law¡¯, but this clever boy knew that such a request would not work. The opponents were nobles who adopted orphan children for the sake of the family¡¯s reputation. Both of them would be thoroughly used for the family, down to their hair. If they wanted to make money, they would try to connect him with a woman from a family where marriage was also profitable. Like a pig trying to graft with a good seed. Of course, even if he had to live like that, becoming a ¡®noble¡¯ from an ¡®orphan¡¯ was never a loss in life, but rather great luck¡­ ¡°Sislin.¡± But. The boy¡¯s life meant nothing if he parted with the owner of this friendly voice. That¡¯s why he deliberately caused an accident. Thanks to that, no one wanted the boy now. It was okay even if he became a child that no one wanted forever like this. If only he could be with Annette. ¡°Annette.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Sislin carefully wrapped his hands around her little face and made her look up at him. The clear moonlight fell on the girl¡¯s dense eyelashes. The boy couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her pale green eyes, a tall nose like a small hill, and her pale lips. The girl smelled fresh lilac. It was just as good as death. ¡°We¡­¡± The boy slowly took the little Annette into his arms. Her warm body temperature in his arms felt delicate and precious, just like a young bird. The boy closed his eyes and whispered earnestly. ¡°Let¡¯s never part and live happily ever after.¡± CH 37 I was moved by Sislin¡¯s words again. ¡®For a long long time¡­¡¯ ¡®Now that socialization training has started, maybe in a year or so I will be adopted too, Sisl.¡¯ ¡®Even if not, I will someday leave the forest and go my own path that has nothing to do with you.¡¯ Because that was the plan in the first place. ¡®But until then, can we have fun together? I want to make a lot of good memories with no regrets.¡¯ I smiled and promised. ¡°Yes, Sisl. Let¡¯s be together for a long time.¡± Sislin finally exhaled. I felt a warm and fuzzy feeling of relief. *** The next morning. I got up early and organized yesterday¡¯s gains. ¡°Candy, jelly, snacks¡­ There is plenty to eat.¡± Even after giving out a lot to the children of the forest, this much remained. All right. I took a cookie out of a crystal bottle and ate it. Unbelievably, it melted in my mouth instantly. ¡°Aww, so delicious!¡± Like a happy hamster with lots of nuts, I shoved a bunch of treats into my cheeks and chewed it, yum yum yum. ¡°My sponsor is the best¡­¡± The face of Bizet Winston, my dear sponsor, who smiled with an Indian dimple, came to mind. ¡®I have a sponsor!¡¯ Moreover, it was not a sponsorship premised on adoption; I just had an adult who supported and cared for me unconditionally. It was my first time. To have such an adult. ¡®Because I¡¯ve never had an adult like that in my previous life.¡¯ I felt ashamed, but grateful and reassured, and my heart tickled. ¡®Do children with good parents feel this way every day?¡¯ When I thought about it that way, I became a little envious of children who had mothers or fathers. I thought blankly, then shook my head. I realized since my unfortunate past life that these sentimental thoughts were of no help to me. Besides, I had a family in the forest. Heinrich and Sislin, Sasha and Julien, and the other precious children. ¡®There is no reason to be envious.¡¯ I threw away the melancholic thoughts, arranged the sweets, and took out the teleport magic tool. Then, I kept it in a drawer very preciously (and carefully, for fear that only my dress would be teleported to the marquisate and a very embarrassing situation would arise). Mmm, that was good. It was when I finished organizing all of my things and got up from my seat in satisfaction. Tuk¡ª Something fell at my feet. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The moment I checked the item, I couldn¡¯t help but be surprised. It was a cigarette case. It has Gerard¡¯s hand stains on it. ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s very uncomfortable to have it as evidence of a murder scene¡­¡± It was not something a 12-year-old could handle. I picked up the case with a troubled expression and glanced over it. ¡®Oh, it looks very expensive.¡¯ The body of the luxurious valuable case was solidly structured in silvery chrome, and the edges were finished with calfskin. On the front side, the emblem of the El Dorado imperial family was magnificently engraved. ¡°How am I going to handle this?¡± It was a headache. I brought it for fear that the life of the ¡®someone else¡¯ who picked it up would be in jeopardy, but in fact, I didn¡¯t have a special way to deal with it. It was at that time when I was contemplating how to deal with it and carefully examining it. ¡°Uh?¡± What was discovered on the back of the case was something very suspicious. My eyes widened¡ª ¡°¡­What?!¡± ¡®What the hell is this, sir?¡¯ *** ¡°How did you feel when you saw Annette in person?¡± It was on the morning of the day of socialization training that Jay asked for, or rather, informed Madam Mimosa that he would meet Annette at. [I¡¯m going to meet her in person today. ] That was why the destination for socialization training, which had been set as a small salon for a certain noble, was urgently changed to the Imperial Palace. Although it was a sudden meeting, Madam Mimosa was confident. Because she perfectly suited the Forest¡¯s educational goal of cultivating clever, pure, and talented Trees. A great specimen of a fine Tree. Annette was Madam Mimosa¡¯s masterpiece. She was sure he couldn¡¯t find any fault with the gifted little lady. However, the man who actually saw Annette gave an unexpected answer. [Annette grew up as a cute little lady. But there is one problem.] The dark eyebrows above Madam Mimosa¡¯s golden eyes twitched and moved. ¡°Is there a problem with her¡­?¡± [So clever.] She had no choice but to respond immediately to that statement. ¡°How does it matter that the child is clever, Jay?¡± A low breath came from the other side. It was like he was laughing at her. [Tools and livestock are easy to handle if they are moderately stupid, Madam Mimosa.] ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Was it meant to ridicule her, a clever livestock, or a rebuke for improper upbringing? Maybe both. (TL/N: Madam Mimosa was a ¡®livestock¡¯ too!? This is reminding me of The Promised Neverland¡­) Madam Mimosa bit her lips at the gentle rush of insults. However, her lips soon drew a smooth arc. Her tongue, sharp as a knife, moved gently and spit out words. ¡°I can¡¯t believe one considers a child who is a little clever, difficult to deal with. Is our sponsor just an adult who¡¯s only that much?¡± [¡­¡­] ¡°It¡¯s a little disappointing.¡± [Oh no, I didn¡¯t mean to insult the madam.] The man beyond the communication area took a leisurely step back with a voice mixed with laughter. The sound of ice in his glass was heard. Madam Mimosa added. ¡°Annette is a wonderful Tree.¡± [Well, if only she awakened.] It was thought he had taken a step back, he took two more steps and entered deeper with a premise that Mimosa could not refute. Even Mimosa must agree with this statement. [It is true that I have a strong curiosity. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen Annette¡¯s ¡®Color of Soul¡¯, but it still emits a strong light. It was amazingly captivating, like a moth jumping into a fire. ] She knows too. How the color of that soul would make one feel¡­ Jay¡¯s eyes could see the same color of soul that Madam Mimosa¡¯s magic-casted eye sees. Her casted eye was actually given to her by Jay. They both had the same eyes. [So I decided. I will be the ¡®soil¡¯ of the child.] ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The tea cup that Madam Mimosa was holding stopped in mid-air. [I will feed my nourishment, and I will make the child an Awakener myself.] ¡°¡­¡­¡± Her spine chilled. [I¡¯m adopting Annette.] *** ¡®Has there ever been a jewel like this?¡¯ I found an ¡®unidentified black jewel¡¯ on the back of the cigarette case and was looking closely. ¡®It¡¯s not a magic stone. I¡¯m sure.¡¯ ¡°Because Mr. Spencen was the most prominent of the scholars in El Dorado who have studied magic stones.¡± I obtained a perfect score in the course, which I thoroughly followed. The circular jewel was small, black, and pretty. It even felt mysterious. ¡®I don¡¯t think it¡¯s an ordinary gem of course.¡¯ As a 12-year-old who was stained with capitalism, expensive black jewels were part of my common sense (of course, I am precocious, especially when it comes to money), but it was a jewel I was not aware of. ¡°¡­Even so, one wouldn¡¯t have made prince¡¯s things with something cheap.¡± Oh. What a surprise. At that time, the black jewel ¡®sparkled¡¯ and scattered a dazzling light. It was very mysterious. Wow, it was such a rare and mysterious thing, so he must have cherished it so much, didn¡¯t he?¡¯ I nodded. ¡®That¡¯s why he was so crazy attached in the original.¡¯ The loss of the cigarette case was also in the original story, in which Gerard misunderstood that Heinrich stole it. He was like a crazy person with a cigarette case no less than me, an obsessive baker in the original story. When I read the original, I was like, ¡®Can¡¯t you just buy a new case?¡¯ But seeing it now actually made me understand a little. Even at first glance, it was a precious item. But he lost it. Usually, I would try to find the owner of the item I picked up, but in this situation, I had no intention of getting ¡®good child¡¯s disease.¡¯ ¡®You should have kept such a precious thing well, prince.¡¯ That was when I was contemplating the disposition of the case. Suddenly the door swung open. ¡°Annette!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± I was startled and hid it behind me. Then I looked back with a smile. Fortunately, it was Sasha. The ignorant Sasha spoke with a smile on her face, not even interested in what I was hiding. ¡°Madam Mimosa is calling!¡± ¡°¡­Madam Mimosa?¡± *** ¡°Madam Mimosa, did you call me?¡± ¡°Come here.¡± On a sunny afternoon, Madam Mimosa looked at me with a bent index finger under her chin. Why did she call for me? As I waited, pressing my curiosity, she opened her mouth slowly. ¡°An adoption application for you has come in. You must prepare to leave the Forest. Annette.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?!¡± ¡®What did you just say, teacher?!¡¯ It was unexpected news that came at such an unexpected time, so I swallowed my saliva for a moment. Then I asked calmly. ¡°¡­Is it possible to apply for adoption as a daughter-in-law?¡± Could it be that my sponsor just couldn¡¯t stand it? ¡°No.¡± But Madam Mimosa answered calmly and pushed the document in front of me. She wanted me to take it. ¡°He said he would adopt you as his daughter.¡± Badump, badump, badump. With a trembling heart, I glanced at the papers she held out. In the name of the adoption application, it was written exactly like this: Gerard von Axelferion My eyes got bigger ¡°¡­The prince is going to adopt me?!¡± CH 38 There was a big problem with this adoption application! ¡®The prince seemed to have a rotten personality, but¡­?!¡¯ Of course, there were also more important issues than my prospective dad¡¯s personality fluttering like rotten corn silk. I asked hastily. ¡°Madam Mimosa, but¡­ The Prince is ¡®single¡¯, right?¡± ¡°According to the imperial law, even if you are single, you can adopt a child if you have the right environment to raise a child.¡± Truthfully, I knew that there was such an imperial law, but there were very few cases where it was actually used. Just think, which unmarried person would want to adopt a daughter who he did not share even a single drop of blood with unless he¡¯s crazy? ¡®That crazy guy is here?¡¯ I asked again, trying to stay calm. ¡°But Madam, the Prince and I do not have that much of an age difference, right?¡± ¡°If there¡¯s a difference of 15 years or more, he can adopt a daughter. You and the prince are exactly 15 years apart.¡± Of all things! I swallowed my saliva as I looked at the paperwork. Gerrard had the environment to raise me and even had a good reputation. Additionally, he passed the age difference cut-off. In fact, he was the perfect father. Position, wealth, fame. A man who has it all. If I became Gerard¡¯s daughter, I would become a ¡®daughter of the imperial family¡¯. ¡®I was an orphan in my previous life, but in this world, I am part of the imperial family¡­?¡¯ This setup was a bit interesting. ¡®Maybe being an imperial family member is wonderful too. Though not as much as a bakery owner.¡¯ Then Madam Mimosa said to me, ¡°The Prince wants a quick adoption, so it seems like he will take you in three days, as soon as the procedure is completed.¡± ¡°¡­Only three days?¡± ¡®That¡¯s too short, Madam.¡¯ The remaining time I have in this Forest was absurdly short. In three days, I had to say friendly goodbyes to the children one by one, and then end it. The first thing that came to mind was the promise I made with Sislin just yesterday. ¡°Let¡¯s never part and live happily ever after.¡± ¡°Yes, Sisl, let¡¯s be together for a long time.¡± Three days was never a long time. ¡®If I leave now, what about Sislin?¡¯ Sislin was in such an unstable state that he committed an act of arson with unknown intentions during the first round of socialization training. Heinrich would surely be sad too. When he knew this. The more I thought about it, the more my heart ached, so I bit my lip. ¡®What is his intention of adopting me?¡¯ At this point, I couldn¡¯t help but doubt the prince¡¯s intentions. He was not adopting me because I was Awakened. Because he didn¡¯t know about my awakening. ¡®Or did he notice that I¡¯ve seen the scene where the high priest was harmed? Maybe because of the cigarette case¡­?¡¯ These were the factors that bothered me in my heart, so I asked myself questions, but I soon denied those assumptions head-on. ¡®No way.¡¯ If I had been caught, he could just quietly deal with me. Why would he bother to adopt me as a daughter? It didn¡¯t make any sense to try to put a witness in a position where she would become a future princess. I was pretty sure he didn¡¯t know that the cigarette case was in my hands. Considering how madly obsessed he was with the cigarette case in the original story, he would have sent me a sword by now instead of an adoption application. In the blink of an eye, I was contemplating deeply in front of Madam Mimosa. It was then. ¡°Congratulations, Annette.¡± At the sound of a voice from the other side, I shook my head and looked at Madam Mimosa. Madam Mimosa looked at me like that and smiled. ¡°You have the best father ever.¡± *** ¡®Is he really the best father, Madam?¡¯ He was a father who cut off the head of the high priest even after hearing that his grandson¡¯s wedding was the day after tomorrow. I held my chin and looked at the blackboard. Mr. Petesche was giving a special lecture with the theme . ¡°Now, shall we present our ¡®future hope¡¯ one by one? Who wants to go first?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± As soon as the teacher finished speaking, Sasha raised her hand, flipping her fluffy pink hair, fwoosh! And she moved her hand like a twinkling star. Her hand gestures were so flashy and chaotic that everyone had no choice but to stare. ¡°Sasha, will you be the first to present?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m going to be a ¡®great lady¡¯ when I grow up!¡± ¡°¡­You are a wonderful lady, and that¡¯s a good hope for the future.¡± Mr. Petesche added kindly, curving his docile eyes under his brown hair. ¡°Did you all hear it? Hopes for the future do not have to be grand. Just tell me what you want to be. Like how Sasha did. You all understand?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As the children answered loudly, the teacher smiled proudly and looked at me. ¡°Now then, shall we have Annette present next?¡± I spoke with a smirk. There was no hesitation in announcing my hopes for the future. ¡®Fufu, I have a dream.¡¯ ¡°Yes, I want to be a bakery owner!¡± For some reason, when Um heard this story somewhere, it seemed like he was going to pull his red hair saying, ¡°Glutinous rice, ugh, please, stop talking about bread!¡± Fortunately, Mr. Petesche smiled brightly. ¡°Annette is sure to be a baker who makes a lot of great bread.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± ¡®If Gerard adopts me, I won¡¯t be a bakery owner.¡¯ Being adopted by an unmarried prince, I would live a life that was so controversial that the Imperial Palace would be turned upside down. In the midst of my cynical thoughts, there was a child who tried to raise his short hand high (which was as low as a carrot in a sugar cane field).. It was Julien, with big sky-blue eyes. Thankfully, Mr. Petesche did not miss the small potato-like fist. ¡°Shall we listen to Julien next?¡± Julien got up bravely and shouted. ¡°My hope for the future is to be a balloon! Because I want to fly in the sky!¡± ¡°¡­Uh.¡± The teacher¡¯s expression became slightly troubled. The gentle, brown-haired teacher, Mr. Petesche, hesitated a little, then smiled and said. ¡°¡¯Hope for the future¡¯ literally means what Julien wants to become when he grows up.¡± ¡°Aha, yes! Yes!¡± Julien nodded his little head vigorously as if he understood only then. ¡°Well then, can you say it again?¡± ¡°My future hope is to be a bean worm!¡± For a moment, I almost laughed, so I bit my lip. ¡°Because it looks so cool when making a circle!¡± ¡°¡­Uh, uh¡­¡± Mr. Petesche smiled belatedly while gesturing without saying anything. ¡°That¡¯s right! What a wonderful future hope. Applause everyone.¡± Clap, clap. After quickly evoking the atmosphere with applause, Ms. Petesche chose the next child. ¡°Then, next¡­ There, shall we hear from Heinrich?¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Heinrich, after something else for a while, leaned loosely on the chair and raised his eyes rudely. Then he gave a very brief but poor answer. ¡°Married to Sister.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡®Ah, is that really all you hope for for the future?¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s not a hope for the future to be announced in front of everyone, children¡­!¡¯ Unlike me, who blushed and was unexpectedly embarrassed by the hope for the future of another, Heinrich proudly crossed his arms, tilting his arrogant and beautiful face. Mr. Petesche smiled and said; ¡°Uh, that¡¯s something you¡¯d like to do later¡­ The future hope we¡¯re talking about now is wanting to be like a ¡®great lady¡¯ or a ¡®bakery owner¡¯ or an occupation.¡± With his arms crossed, the crazy chihuahua¡¯s pretty purple eyes lit up, and he immediately corrected his hopes for the future. ¡°Then, ¡®Annette¡¯s husband¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Oh my gosh. I hid behind the textbook, blushing next to the imposing Heinrich. That future hope must be agreed upon with me! Heinrich looked satisfied and brazen, but he soon frowned, gazing at Sislin. Just like a cat that looked at a beast that had entered its territory and gnawed at it. ¡°So, you should have another hope for the future, you bastard. Because Sister¡¯s ¡®husband¡¯s seat¡¯ is sold out!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Okay, huh? Aren¡¯t you answering?¡± Sislin ignored it neatly. Was an automatic self-noise canceling? He didn¡¯t raise an eyebrow so much that anyone could see Heinri¡¯s voice as if he couldn¡¯t hear it at all. In many ways, this was great. Mr. Petesche looked at Sislin, who was sitting still, and asked a question softly. ¡°Is there any hope for the future for our Sislin?¡± I felt that he was cautious, unlike when he asked the other children. It made me sad because I knew the reason. ¡®I think he may have none.¡¯ Because Sislin was a gloomy, somewhat special child who lived in a cave, avoiding everyone. The boy¡¯s life was too gray for him to dream of the future. At that cautious question, Sislin lowered his long eyelashes and opened his mouth slowly. ¡°I¡­¡± A lot of thoughts seemed to pass through his red eyes. Soon the boy¡¯s voice continued. Like sharing a very precious dream. One syllable by one syllable, very carefully. ¡°¡­I will become a great, high-ranking person.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°More than anyone else.¡± After speaking, the boy made eye contact with me. All of a sudden, my ears were red. Like the apples that ripened in the spring sun in April. CH 39 *** Sislin¡¯s words of becoming a great and high person lingered for a long time. ¡®My baby, it will definitely be like that. For El Dorado is the bloodline of the imperial family. If you wait quietly, the imperial court will come to pick you up.¡¯ And wouldn¡¯t I be happier than anyone else? ¡®You¡¯re not going to take revenge on Heinrich, are you?¡¯ ¡®Heinrich is bothering you much less than in the original. Because of me.¡¯ The feral chihuahua in the original was really amazing. It was basic to call him dirty, and when they made eye contact, he always scolded and spit, even stepping on his painful foot because he¡¯s lame¡­ My baby, he was really vicious in the original?! ¡®Of course, Sislin will get revenge hundreds of times later.¡¯ At first, the readers responded that Heinrich deserved it, but later, most of them found him so pitiable and was so desperate that they cried in the comments, ¡®Is he really going to kill him?¡¯ ¡®Now such a tragedy will not happen.¡¯ I was convinced. Then¨C ¡®Actually, haven¡¯t I accomplished my purpose?¡¯ When I first possessed , I was determined to rescue Sislin and prevent tragedy. So I tried, and I led the situation according to my intentions. If I just wait now, Sislin would become a member of the imperial family, and Heinrich would be adopted by a prestigious marquis, ¡®Hyacinth¡¯. In front of the two boys, there was practically only a flower road left. ¡®My role is over.¡¯ I had decided from the beginning to leave when my role was over. That was why I set the ambitious goal of becoming a bakery owner. ¡®Now, as I have decided, I will leave here¡­ It might be right to live my own life. ¡® It was when I was walking down a forest path, deep in thought. ¡°It¡¯s Sister!¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Suddenly, Heinrich came out from the next path and hugged my arm. ¡°Ah, Heinrich. Have you already bought all the herbs?¡± It was the class of by a Byzantine teacher famous for his strictness. He was a teacher who would later inspect the baskets, carefully grade them, and then scold us if we had poor earnings. It was also a subject that Heinrich, who was far from sincere, was not confident in. But surprisingly, Heinrich proudly shrugged. ¡°Of course. Sister, I¡¯ve dug a lot!¡± Oh, what happened? I checked Heinley¡¯s basket. Weeds, unidentified grass roots, wild flowers¡­ ¡­Was this all? Heck, he¡¯s a cute idiot. He was like a puppy that rolled around on the dirt floor and was very proud of it. I teased Heinrich a little. ¡°Wow, our Heinrich is amazing! Did you get everything except herbs?¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s too much, Sister.¡± I put a large handful of canned herbs into Heinrich¡¯s basket, whose glare had gone down quickly. ¡°You won¡¯t get in trouble with this.¡± ¡°As expected, Sister is the best.¡± Heinrich was moved, his eyes seriously trembling. Soon the boy took something precious out of his arms and held it towards me. It was a four leaf clover. The fresh green leaves were very pretty. ¡°I found it because I wanted to give it to Sister.¡± He picked up all the wrong things for his basket, and the one he picked for me was completely correct ¨C with four leaves attached. I imagined Heinrich squatting for a while and looking for this with his bracken-like hand to give me. My heart felt a little tight. ¡°Thank you so much! That¡¯s great.¡± ¡°I wish you luck.¡± ¡®You¡¯re the only one who cares about my luck, Heinrich.¡¯ I treasured Heinrich¡¯s gift that was given with a beautiful heart in my arms. ¡°Sister.¡± Then, Heinrich rubbed his soft cheek against my arm and looked up. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we go out to pick raspberries, since it¡¯s been a long time?¡± The cold and beautiful boy, who captured the sky at dawn in midwinter, looked at me and smiled. When Heinrich smiled like that, I always couldn¡¯t refuse. *** Around the lakeside, lovely yellow evening primroses were in full bloom. Under the largest willow tree in the cluster of flowers was our hideout. We sat down on a lacy cloth and ate one of the raspberries we picked from nearby. The tip of my tongue was sweet and sour, and our lips were dyed red with a raspberry color. ¡°Well¡­¡± Heinrich whispered with closed eyes, sitting in a relaxed manner with one hand behind his back. Whoosh¡ª The boy¡¯s hair swayed leisurely as the wind blew. The limescale glistened on the calm water surface. It was as if a lot of stars had descended on the lake. ¡°¡­Well.¡± When I said the same thing, Heinrich opened his eyes and looked at me. The smiling boy¡¯s face looked young and innocent. It was the smile I loved. ¡°Sister, every time I come here, I have a question for you.¡± ¡°Huh? What is that?¡± ¡°Are you going to answer me?¡± I nodded my head willingly. ¡°Yes!¡± Then, Heinrich turned his gaze to the far shore of the lake and said; ¡°You know, in the winter lake. Why did you go then?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I also turned my gaze to the distant lake. And I smiled softly and said; ¡°Oh, I just stumbled!¡± ¡°Hey, that¡¯s a lie.¡± Heinrich lowered his eyelashes and laughed. ¡°Why? Why are you curious about that?¡± I asked playfully. Then I remembered the first time I met Heinrich. Heinrich was like a child trapped in ice. A small icy human who was imprisoned in the state in which his father turned away from him, saying he was of dirty blood, and even witnessing the death of his mother. When a person approached, he scattered chill, but he couldn¡¯t help being cold. ¡®I was so sad for you, Heinrich.¡¯ So I wanted to show him. There was at least one person in the world who would listen to him unconditionally and stand by his side. He looked so lonely when he was hurting and not letting anyone in¡­¡­ The frozen lake in winter didn¡¯t look cold at all. I was willing to go in. If it was for Heinrich. ¡°I was just curious, so I asked.¡± Heinrich replied, raising the corners of his lips quietly. Slightly later, he mumbled in a low voice. ¡°¡­I wish I knew everything.¡± Annette, his angel, an idiot who listened to all his complaints even though he knew it was forceful. Heinrich vividly remembered the first time he met Annette. The girl with large, light green eyes was smiling brightly. She seemed pure and warm, like an angel who knew nothing of the sufferings of the world. ¡°Hello? You must be Heinrich.¡± The moment the boy saw that smile, he became afraid. That bright, warm smile, like the spring sun that melted winter, was too sweet for him¡ª He was afraid he was going to love her. When he got better and became closer to her, he was afraid that the cold despair surrounding him would hurt the girl who didn¡¯t know how to suffer. So push, push, push¡­ ¡®In the end, it was all useless.¡¯ Hello, it was just a light greeting. His life began to be dyed in a completely different color at her greeting. That kindness that melted the cold ice and led to a brilliant spring. A warm embrace with the scent of lilac¡­ Heinrich fell in love with her irresistibly. ¡°I like good boys, Heinrich!¡± He wanted to hear whatever Annette had to say. He doesn¡¯t have much yet. He was always anxious to give Annette all of his luck, smile, kindness, and the rest of his life. His pretty sister. His Annette¡­ ¡®You don¡¯t know how much I love you.¡¯ ¡®Without you, I¡¯ll probably die.¡¯ ¡°Heinrich, you know what.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Heinrich smiled with his usual mischievous face. ¡°What, Sister?¡± Annette gulped down her saliva, as if making an important announcement. ¡°What if I go to adoption?¡± Heinrich replied without hesitation for even a second. ¡°If they take Sister, whoever it is, I will tear him to pieces and kill¡ª¡± ¡°Ah, no!¡± In response to my reaction, in which my eyes had doubled in size, Heinrich, who was speaking with a fearsome face, quickly responded with a bright smile. ¡°I¡¯m kidding!¡± ¡®¡­It¡¯s not a joke to anyone¡¯s eyes, what a child.¡¯ If I were to be adopted, the person would be a noble, but he said that he would kill him without hesitation! Indeed, it was the brave chihuahua who swore at whoever that bothered him even if he was a prince. Heinrich, who spoke unwaveringly, frowned and thought seriously for a moment, then opened his mouth again. ¡°Still, Sister wanted to have parents¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± I quickly nodded my head vigorously. Heinrich sucked the insides of his cheeks and wrapped his hand around his head as if he was worried about his head popping out. Then, with tremendous torture, he exclaimed with great force and grandeur, like a rebel who revealed his stronghold and the names of his comrades. ¡°If they are good parents, I should let you go!¡± ¡®¡­Is it something to say so solemnly?¡¯ ¡°Of course, if a bad bastard wants to adopt you, I will have to rip him to shreds!¡± Heinrich smiled brightly and looked at me. ¡®It wasn¡¯t even a joke¡­!¡¯ ¡®Heuk-heuk, stop talking about ripping, child. The other party is a person, not a pastry!¡¯ Judging by his conduct at that time, it seemed obvious that Gerard was going to be part of the pastry. ¡°Sister.¡± Then Heinrich rubbed his face on my arm and said; CH 40 ¡°Will you write me a letter every day after you¡¯re adopted?¡± ¡°Everyday?¡± ¡°Then at least once every two days.¡± The boy narrowed his eyes as if pleading. ¡°No, it has to be every day. I mean, I haven¡¯t been away from my sister for even a day.¡± Heinrich, who quickly corrected himself, hugged me like a whining little puppy. ¡®My good boy.¡¯ I smiled while stroking Heinrich¡¯s fine silver hair. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll write you a letter every day!¡± ¡°And I¡¯m definitely going to visit Sister¡¯s house once every three days.¡± ¡°So often¡­?!¡± This was a little surprising. Ummm, I could only imagine the expression Gerard would make upon seeing an unidentified chihuahua visiting the Imperial Palace once every three days. But at the same time that I said the word ¡®often¡¯, I watched Heinrich rapidly wither. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Oh, it was like poached spinach. ¡°Okay. Yes. Let¡¯s see each other often!¡± I was particularly weak to Heinrich, and I had to accept all of those stupid conditions. Who wouldn¡¯t be weak towards their favorite? I wanted to get stars and moons for him, but I was always sorry that I couldn¡¯t get them. ¡®My baby, I thought I had raised you a lot. Seeing you being silly, I guess you¡¯re still not grown up¡­¡¯ I stroked Heinrich¡¯s hair. The silver-haired boy said with a playful smile. ¡°However, it will take a year for Sister to be adopted? Look at me! I¡¯m so handsome and talented, but I haven¡¯t been adopted for two years.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°So, let¡¯s not worry about parting already.¡± Hearing that, my heart throbbed. No, Heinrich¡­ I actually¡ª ¡°Well.¡± The back of the boy¡¯s small head reached my lap as I was pondering the words I couldn¡¯t bear to say. Heinrich lay on my lap and bent his pretty eyes. ¡°Sister, look up. It¡¯s like a willow branch saying ¡®hello¡¯.¡± After that, I looked up at the sky. The long willow branches adorned the blue sky and swayed in the wind. It seemed to be greeting me with its long arms. ¡°It¡¯s as Heinrich said¡­¡± Then, Heinrich looked up at me and said quietly. ¡°Let¡¯s go out on my birthday in winter.¡± Birthday. Our birthdays were very special. Abandoned with an unknown date of birth, we had no choice but to make the day we came to this Forest our birthday. So Heinrich¡¯s birthday was in the middle of winter when the whole world was dyed white and cold snow fell. Heinrich was told that he was standing barefoot in front of the door. Like a child insensitive to the cold. Sislin¡¯s birthday was in summer. I was told that the boy who escaped from the slave traders, burning under the scorching sun was neither human nor beast. My birthday was in spring. The memory of that day was hazy. The sky was pretty and clear, and the spring sun was warm, but I only remembered crying with tears. ¡°On my birthday, let¡¯s go out to the winter forest, light a warm bonfire and drink cocoa.¡± As he laid out the impossible future, Heinrich buried his head on the fabric around my knees. His purple eyes that contained winter shone like a dream. ¡°It¡¯s like being covered by a blanket and watching it snow all day long.¡± There was a lot of snow in the forest in winter, so maybe in winter, the whole area would be white, just like the boy said. I looked at Heinrich quietly. I couldn¡¯t say anything for a while. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Sister?¡± I quickly raised the corner of my mouth towards the boy and nodded. ¡°Yeah, then. Let¡¯s go play on your birthday.¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s a promise!¡± Heinrich smiled mischievously and reached out to find my hand, holding it tightly but gently. Then he closed his eyes with a smile. As if we had already gone to the happy midwinter of that day. Without knowing that it was a promise that wouldn¡¯t be fulfilled. *** After parting with Heinrich at the lake shore. I fell into deep thought. ¡®I can¡¯t possibly leave now.¡¯ It was okay for me to leave now. But I thought the boys would have a hard time. ¡®Let¡¯s raise the babies just a little bit more and leave!¡¯ At least until Heinrich¡¯s birthday, I wanted to stay with him. Besides, the biggest problem was¡ª ¡®I like a good father.¡¯ My ideal dad was a good, handsome dad. Like my good-natured sponsor who smiles with his Indian dimples, like the Marquis Bizet Winston. However, Gerard, he was ¡®just handsome¡¯, among the conditions of my ideal father. ¡®Anyway, let¡¯s see if Gerard is a good person¡­!¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s a headache.¡¯ ¡ªLet¡¯s stop looking. It was very uncomfortable to adapt to the adoption without knowing the intentions of such a fearsome father. For a moment, I imagined living as an imperial family member with a lot of money, but of course, that¡¯s wonderful too. ¡®Indeed, I¡¯m more of a bakery owner than an imperial family member?¡¯ My future was all about being a peaceful bakery owner, and this was a dream that was strongly supported by Mr. Petesche, Sordi, and Um (the ¡®Um¡¯ part I decided to think whatever I wanted). I stood in the lighted hallway and thought quietly. ¡°¡­In that case, I have no choice but to use that method.¡± You have to take risks to get what you want. I made up my mind and asked Madam Mimosa for an interview. *** ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Annette?¡± Annette¡¯s request for an interview came in quite late, but Madam Mimosa immediately accepted it. Requests for interviews with children who have been decided for adoption were common, and most of them consisted of trivial questions. What kind of parents were they like and how should one behave after adoption? Most of them were excited and couldn¡¯t sleep, so they would come to ask questions with enthusiasm. ¡°Madam Mimosa, I have a suggestion for you.¡± Anyway, a suggestion? She was truly an unexpected child in many ways. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Madam Mimosa looked quietly at her dignified and clever light-green eyes, put down the glasses she was wearing, and said, ¡°Tell me.¡± The answer that came back was even more shocking. ¡°Please withdraw the Prince¡¯s application for adoption.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Annette¡¯s eyes shone resolutely. ¡°I will decline the adoption request.¡± Madam Mimosa looked at Annette with a slightly startled expression. It didn¡¯t seem like a joke. The child added quickly with alertness, seeming to have read the startled and absurd energy of Madam Mimosa at once. ¡°I know! The Tree cannot refuse first. Especially an application for adoption by the imperial family. But, is it okay if the Prince withdraws directly?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I will persuade the Prince.¡± Has she ever fallen out of bed and injured her head? Madam Mimosa thought deeply and looked at Annette. The young girl¡¯s eyes looked very sane. Then¨C ¡®Is it because of Heinrich and Sislin?¡¯ Maybe that was why she decided not to go for adoption. ¡®Because she¡¯s very close with the two of them¡­¡¯ Still, it was quite surprising that Annette decided to stay here ¨C being adopted was every child¡¯s dream, and her ¡®father¡¯ was even the ¡®prince¡¯. Besides, she¡¯s going to convince him herself? ¡°Annette, from the perspective of the ¡®Forest¡¯, there is a loss if a Tree refuses to be adopted.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°¡­Besides, could the Prince listen to a little girl like you?¡± Annette calmly answered her words. ¡°Refusal to adopt is a loss to the Forest, but on the contrary, I think the benefit of me staying in ¡®Forest¡¯ is greater.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Sislin and Heinrich were such anxious children that they could never be adopted, but I took good care of them by their side that I have come to this day.¡± That was true. Irrefutable. ¡°If I could stay and help the adoption of those two children succeed, wouldn¡¯t it be an advantage?¡± Madam Mimosa¡¯s eyes shone with interest. ¡°As the Madam said, I¡¯m also a pretty popular Tree in the adoption market. Even if it doesn¡¯t go through this time, I will be able to find a good adoption place eventually. And the Prince¡ª ¡° ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s up to me to persuade, so give me a chance. If it fails, I will quietly go to adoption.¡± Madam Mimosa felt a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu for a moment. Her eyes narrowed sharply. That innocent, bright-eyed 12-year-old kid showed her by doing everything she was meant to do. She took Sislin out of the dark cave, and helped the boy who was upset by the sight of water to live properly in the Forest. She even caught the ¡®real culprit¡¯ of the theft with only a fountain pen and a small compass. ¡®Is it possible this time?¡¯ But Jay, no, Prince Gerard was too big for that little kid to deal with. Having faced Gerard over all these years, Madam Mimosa had never beaten him for even a single instance. A person who possessed tremendous enthusiasm and attachment to a desired object or goal. Cruel and ruthless temper. If a girl with eyes as soft as a blade of grass dared to fight against him, he was a human being who would cut her off at once. ¡®But Annette, Annette.¡¯ She knew very well how strong the wick was inside those delicate eyes. ¡®Something very interesting could happen.¡¯ Watching Annette¡¯s performance soon became a small pleasure for Mimosa. ¡°All right.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± Annette¡¯s face brightened at once at Madam Mimosa¡¯s sure answer. Mimosa silently raised an eyebrow. She wanted to see The sight of this little girl¡¯s innocent and powerful heart and Gerard¡¯s zeal beyond common sense collide. Gerard wanted Annette so much, but if Annette eventually gets out of Gerrard¡¯s control¡­ Wouldn¡¯t that be pretty fun too? ¡°If you persuade the prince, I¡¯ll accept the withdrawal of adoption.¡± ¡°Thank you so much, Madam!¡± *** I went to my room and immediately wrote a card. And as soon as the next day dawned, with the permission of Madam Mimosa, the card was delivered to the Imperial Palace. The recipient was Prince Gerard. The content was quite provocative. Because this was my winning move. ¡¸Have you lost your cigarette case, Prince?¡¹ ¡®The response will come tomorrow.¡¯ But, to my surprise, the reply came immediately. That night. At dawn, when everyone was asleep. CH 41 This is a gentle reminder to not repost or share our translations/website link on social media and Wattpad. Instead, please refer your friends or people who are interested to Novel Updates, where they can then be directed to our website. If you really sincere in ¡®offline reading¡¯, please do it somewhere else like on google drive where no one else but you can see, not on Wattpad. Sharing the website link directly on social media and/or reposting on Wattpad (which is owned by Naver) puts us at higher risk of being discovered by the author/publishers, and if we are, we will be forced to stop immediately. *** All the children in the dormitory were so exhausted and in such a deep sleep that it was impossible for them to wake up even if I picked them up. Outside the black window came the sound of a crow¡ª caw, caw, caw. I was deep in thought. ¡®Will my method work?¡¯ I was nervous after provoking Gerard. In fact, for Gerard, who was obsessed with the case, revealing that it was in my hands was quite a risky decision. Because it was evidence at the murder scene! ¡®Gerard doesn¡¯t know exactly where he lost it.¡¯ If I made a mistake, he would quickly find out what I witnessed. No, really, that wasn¡¯t the problem. The biggest problem was¡ª ¡®Gerard¡¯s way of dealing with problems.¡¯ Rather than keeping a pitiful human who might be an eyewitness alive¡­ ¡®He might think it¡¯s easier to kill me and retrieve the cigarette case.¡¯ When my calm and logical thoughts reached that point, I gulped. Ah, save the future bakery owner! ¡®But I have Sordi and Um.¡¯ They¡¯ll help me if they have to. Besides, there was another advantage. ¡®That I¡¯m only 12 years old.¡¯ To adults, a 12-year-old was just an immature creature. Besides, a 12-year-old was weak in power, so even if he or she interfered with an adult, the adult would think it¡¯s something that could be dealt with at any time. ¡®I mean, I¡¯m no threat.¡¯ Compared to the high priest, who had social status and honor, I was truly not a dangerous beast, more like a hamster-like creature. Additionally, even if a 12-year-old dared to say, ¡®The Prince killed the High Priest!¡¯, no one would believe it. Of course, I wouldn¡¯t act like an ordinary 12-year-old if I set my mind to do so. ¡®But Gerard doesn¡¯t know that.¡¯ ¡®Hence, he will keep me alive.¡¯ It would be much easier to make a simple deal than to kill a little girl and cause a fuss among the nobles who sent the girl a golden rose. ¡®Yes, of course.¡¯ That was when I was nodding my head. Tock, tock, tock. Something sounded from the window. ¡°What?¡± I turned my head and saw a crow at the window tilting its little head. With a scroll the size of its body in its beak. In an instant, my eyes lit up. ¡®It¡¯s a carrier bird! Gerard must have sent it.¡¯ I got out of bed like a nimble hamster rushing towards cashews. Then, trying not to wake a single one of the other sleeping children, I crept to the window. Kakkk! Then, the crow flew slightly away from the window and flapped its wings. ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Then it flew to the next room and looked at me, as if enticing me to follow him with his black rice-like eyes. ¡®Oh? Why is this crow so smart? You can join Mensa, crow.¡¯ ¡®This might be smarter than Julien.¡¯ ¡®Ah, sorry Julien!¡¯ As I followed the crow¡¯s guidance, I arrived at the very last room in the corridor. It used to be a music room, and now it was a storage room, but here the door was so thick that no one can hear you even if you scream. Suddenly, I opened the window and greeted the black guest. ¡°Hello? How are you, crow?¡± Caw! The handsome crow with shiny black feathers flapped its wings as if answering me. ¡°Fufu, can you show me the letter?¡± I smiled and held out my hand. I was very curious about the contents of the letter. It was a message secretive enough to be delivered in an empty room at dawn this morning. Just looking at this, I could be sure. That my predictions about the cigarette case came true. As I reached out towards the crow, the clever bird took off lightly and spread its beak slightly. Caw! And slowly, it unfolded the scroll in front of me. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Even at the amazing and astounding sight of the carrier bird opening the scroll itself, there was something more surprising. The letter was empty. ¡°¡­Yes?¡± I glanced at the letter, blinking my eyes. But it was clean, entirely. ¡°The Prince sent me a blank sheet?¡± Right then; On the empty parchment, vivid black letters flickered and began to reveal the contents mysteriously. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Perhaps, it was Gerard¡¯s handwriting. ¡¸Annette, how did you know that the cigarette case was mine?¡¹ I gulped, swallowing saliva. *** It was the very night after the banquet that Gerard realized he had lost his cigarette case. He had his servant search the places he thought he lost it at, but he couldn¡¯t find the cigarette case even though he stayed up all night until dawn. As if it had suddenly evaporated. But, he had to find it. The cigarette case, or, more precisely, the black object embedded in the case was important. It was no exaggeration to say that it was ¡®everything¡¯ to Gerard von Axelferion. So when the servant, who had scoured the entire Imperial Palace all night, finally returned empty-handed; The prince, who sat in the wing chair all night drinking alcohol, said, ¡°Find it. If you fail, I will not forgive you.¡± It was a tone that contained the dignity of the imperial family. There was no anger in those words. However, the servant trembled and closed his eyes. Like cattle succumbing to the great blade in the slaughterhouse. Contrary to his gentle voice, the sinister red eyes staring at him were like those of a murderer. In the end, the servants roamed every nook and cranny of the Imperial Palace and began to desperately search once again. Hunting dogs were also mobilized, but there was no sign of any results. The search operation, which continued for several days and nights, did not bring the desired result. Gerard¡¯s patience was finally reaching its limit. It was during one morning when the servants thought that their lives were hanging on the cliff. A small letter was delivered to Gerard. ¡°Prince, a letter has arrived from the Forest.¡± ¡°From the Forest.¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a cute card.¡± His aide¡¯s eyes curved, smiling, and he held out the envelope. It was an envelope in which sunflowers were meticulously drawn with the skill of a child. In this horrible situation, the envelope shone brightly next to the fire, as if saying, ¡°Huhu, you¡¯re heated up, aren¡¯t you? Buy ice cream, just one silver!¡± It was like a shameless businessman just who started his business. Gerard¡¯s eyebrows twitched. ¡°¡­¡­¡± He quickly tore the envelope and took out the card. One of the sunflowers was torn in half, and the child¡¯s innocence and sincerity fell relentlessly to the floor. ¡¸Prince, did you lose your cigarette case?¡¹ Gerard¡¯s lips twisted. This was the reason he hadn¡¯t been able to find anything yet. It was not difficult to guess whose hands the cigarette case was in now. But why send such a cute card without returning it? He remembered the last time he saw Annette. When his hand was about to touch her, she paused, and that small body shrank back. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Prince. Annette must have been really nervous.¡± The child was trembling with her fern-like hands crumpled, like a mouse in front of a cat. If it wasn¡¯t just the trauma of an orphan who was beaten, but it was a fear of him¡­ If so, the purpose of this card could be easily inferred. That insignificant and feeble little kid who could easily break it if he grabbed the neck with one hand dared to make a ¡®deal¡¯ to him. ¡°¡­What a cute little rat.¡± Gerard shrugged, not commenting further. Then he slowly drank whiskey from the diamond-cut glass. Early that morning, Gerard sent a reply to the child. The moment Annette opened the scroll, Chaaak! The same scroll unfolded in front of him. ¡°¡­¡­¡± On the scroll, Annette, with her large, pale green eyes, was tilting her head naively. This was a kind of ¡®video call zone¡¯. Unfairly, only he could look in, the image was one-way. Seeing Annette tilting her head as if puzzled, with her pale green eyes shining in the scroll, Gerard scribbled with his pen. ¡¸Annette, how did you know that the cigarette case was mine?¡¹ [¡­¡­!] Annette¡¯s eyes widened for a moment. As if there was a big problem. [Oh, I didn¡¯t bring a pen!] The child mumbled, ¡°How do I answer that?¡± with an innocent face and shifted her body that was as big as a cotton candy. She looked pretty cute, but Gerard wasn¡¯t a human being who felt that kind of emotion in the first place. He only felt as if the limit of his patience, which had already been pulled tightly, was stretched a little more. So, the plan to communicate gracefully through writing was revised at once. ¡°You don¡¯t have to write with a pen. Annette.¡± [¡­Prince?] Annette asked him back in surprise, and quickly gave him courtesy. [Hello, this is Annette. I think you must have been puzzled by my sudden letter. But I have something to tell you!] ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve seen the card. Tell me what you want from me.¡± Gerard¡¯s voice was extremely gentle and sweet. Just like when he met Annette at the Imperial Palace. The difference from that time was that his eyes were eerie and his tone and speech were frighteningly foreign. The girl, who was completely unaware of this, made a bold proposal with an innocent, yet unique, clever attitude. [Prince, what I want to exchange with the cigarette case¡­ Could you please withdraw your application for my adoption? ] ¡®This foolish thing.¡¯ ¡®How dare you make a deal with me?¡¯ ¡®How dare you?¡¯ Gerard twisted his lip and picked up his glass of wine. Then he began to inquire sharply. ¡°Annette, how did you know the cigarette case was mine?¡± He was curious from the moment he received the letter, but he couldn¡¯t find the exact answer to this part. Could one guess the owner just by looking at the lost item? He had never heard of such a case. Wouldn¡¯t it only be possible if the name of the owner was written on the item? But not even his initials were engraved on the cigarette case. So, how? If he assumed that the kid saw the scene where he dropped it, then it made sense. And one of the most likely places he lost it at was where High Priest Arthur was dealt with. If that little kid saw that scene. If she happened to see the sight of the high priest being dealt with and hence was afraid of him. Then all of this was natural. Gerard¡¯s red eyes blinked and he spoke softly. ¡°Answer me.¡± [¡­¡­] Gulp¨C Red eyes stared intently at Annette¡¯s nervous face. It was like scouring and uncovering any of that little child¡¯s anxiety or gaps. ¡®If you answer this question incorrectly, you will die in misery, sweetheart.¡¯ Annette cautiously opened her mouth. CH 42 ¡°There was an imperial emblem on the front of the case.¡± ¡®Actually, I saw you dropping it while you were killing the high priest.¡¯ If I said so¡ª, would my throat be sliced too? So the lies I am about to tell have to be very plausible. I went on with surprisingly calmness. ¡°That¡¯s how I knew it belonged to the imperial family.¡± But Gerard was not the only member of the imperial family who attended the banquet that day. If he thought I had found the answer with this alone, my logic would be weak. Therefore, I must add on. ¡°So I reduced the scope by eliminating the options, Prince.¡± [How?] I continued answering without hesitation. ¡°First of all, the lady and madam of El Dorado are excluded because they do not like to smoke. And it is known that His Majesty the Emperor quit smoking.¡¯ (TL/N: I¡¯m pretty convinced it¡¯s ¡®lady and madam¡¯ rather than Annette trying to sound cute by saying ¡®lady madam¡¯, still, we don¡¯t know much about the imperial family at the moment so let¡¯s see¡­) [¡­¡­] ¡°Among the princes, the 3rd and 4th princes are still underage, so they are not old enough to smoke under the Imperial Law. The 2nd prince is not in good health, so he often gets medical treatment. If one has asthma, one can¡¯t be the owner of a cigarette case.¡± I said with my eyes open. ¡°Crucially, when the Prince stroked my hair¡­ There was a faint cigarette smell.¡± Then I smiled broadly. ¡°But again, I wasn¡¯t 100% sure with that alone. I gambled, and it was only after I saw the crow that the Prince had sent me early in the morning that I was convinced!¡± After I finished my explanation, I looked at the parchment with wide eyes. Emulating the look of a pure and clever model student. ¡®There were no holes.¡¯ The ¡®flow of thoughts of how I found the owner¡¯ that I told Gerard was quite plausible. If I had actually picked up the cigarette case without knowing the owner, I would have used the same method. [¡­Right.] Also, his reaction was as expected. ¡°Yes! Prince.¡± I laughed softly. ¡®Let¡¯s manage my facial expressions well.¡¯ On my side, I could hear Gerard¡¯s voice and see his writing, but there was no guarantee that it was the same for him. ¡®You¡¯ll never know, yes¡­?¡¯ ¡®Can he see my face right now?¡¯ I hadn¡¯t figured out the exact function of the parchment yet, so I must be careful. [Then I¡¯ll ask you another question. How did you know that cigarette case was important to me?] ¡°¡­¡­!¡± For a moment, my expression almost slipped, but I managed to maintain it. Ah, a sharp question! [You suggested this deal with me because you determined that the item was worth the trade-off for withdrawing adoption. What is the basis for such conviction?] ¡®The Prince is smarter than I expected!¡¯ Usually, in a situation where you¡¯re frantic to find something valuable to you, you cannot be so closely suspicious of the other person. However, Gerard was thoroughly inquiring for information that I could not have from his point of view. ¡®He¡¯s not an easy person.¡¯ [Answer me.] ¡°That¡­¡± How did I know¡ª ¡®You were obsessed with the case like a madman in the original, Prince?¡¯ If I said that, I was sure that it would be a win. ¡°I knew it when I saw the cigarette case.¡± I answered calmly. ¡®He¡¯s tough, but I¡¯m not an easy 12-year-old either.¡¯ ¡®It was as if my answer had been decided from the beginning.¡¯ There was no other option. Because in the first place, all I had was a cigarette case. ¡®I told him the right answer¡­ Shall I put some weight on it now?¡¯ I put an image of the cigarette case in my mind. Then I began to ruminate through the information I had observed and obtained. It was true that he cherished the cigarette case anyway. Thus, it was clear that the traces would remain on the actual object. Oh, I knew it¡ª Found it. ¡°The leather on the edge of the case had a lot of oil stains on it. It must be something well used. But to my surprise, there were no small scratches on the chrome body.¡± A cheerful voice continued to answer. ¡°It means that the owner treated it with great care, Prince.¡± Or, there was a high probability it was treated very obsessively. Because the case was often used. ¡®The owner is either perverse or paranoid.¡¯ Or paranoid pervert. ¡°Above all, that black jewel.¡± [¡­¡­!] In an instant, the sound of breathing over the communication port was slightly disturbed. I didn¡¯t miss the reaction. ¡®As expected, the value of the case was in that black gem.¡¯ It was neither a magic stone nor an ordinary gem. What the hell was that? I was thinking, but I wasn¡¯t so foolish to give off the nuance of knowing such an important thing. It was a moment when socialization training, which required me to act two years younger than I am, was helpful. I said, blushing. ¡°¡­That pretty jewel looked ridiculously expensive!¡± [¡­¡­] Then I bowed my head and wiggled my hands in front of my modest dress. ¡°So, I thought it might be worth much more than a useless orphan girl like me, Prince¡­¡± Gerard on the other side was silent for a long time after hearing all of my answers. Then he quietly opened his mouth. [You are a very clever child, Annette.] ¡°Thank you!¡± I replied in a friendly way, but somehow, when I heard it, it didn¡¯t sound like a compliment. It was certainly a compliment, but it seemed that Gerard was not pleased. He was a man with a very strange atmosphere. He seemed to be kind to me, a child, yet he was merciless; and while he was using a gentle tone of voice, I felt a chill when I listened a little more carefully. He gave off a more dangerous atmosphere than any adult I had ever dealt with. ¡®I¡¯m risking my life to make a deal with this crazy guy¡­¡¯ Was he just going to adopt me now? ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s a little scary, it¡¯s ¡®Living with a scary but rich dad VS Parting with my head¡ª¡¯. Heuk-heuk.¡¯ [But a fundamental question still remains.] ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡®I¡¯m going to ask you another question.¡¯ I looked up slightly in nervousness. ¡®The questions I was asked during the socialization training weren¡¯t even difficult.¡¯ I thought it was tricky at the time, but every time Gerard asked me a question, I felt like I was putting my head out on the guillotine. If I make a mistake and give the wrong answer, the blade of the guillotine would¡­ bam! I felt like it was going to hit me. Not surprisingly, Gerard planted a large mine under my feet. [Why are you denying my adoption request?] ¡®It¡¯s here.¡¯ I closed my eyes for a moment. Definitely, this was the most difficult question. In fact, the ultimate goal of the Trees was to be adopted, and being adopted by an ¡®imperial¡¯ was the greatest success for any Tree. So, to be honest, this situation itself was absurd. Reasons for refusing adoption requests¡­ Suddenly, a soft voice rushed into my ear like a warm breeze in early summer. ¡°We¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s never part and live happily ever after.¡± As soon as I remembered that voice, it became vivid. The tender warmth that enveloped me. ¡°Sister¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go out on my birthday in winter.¡± ¡°It¡¯s like being covered by a blanket and watching it snow all day long.¡± ¡®Heinrich, I want to keep that promise.¡¯ ¡®I really want to be with him on this birthday.¡¯ My heart throbbed a little at the thought of leaving my two children behind. [Is it because of the children?] ¡°¡­¡­!¡± I lifted my head at the sharp voice that broke my thoughts. Then I answered right away. ¡°No, that¡¯s not the reason. Prince.¡± I didn¡¯t want to make that scary man even the slightest bit interested in the children of the Forest. I answered, standing upright in front of the children of the Forest, as if protecting them from danger. ¡°There is another reason.¡± Now it was time to mix the truth. The most sophisticated lies were only complete when credible truths were mixed. ¡°Of course, if I were adopted, I would have a rich and prosperous life as the daughter of the imperial family. Maybe a life that all the trees envy.¡± [But.] ¡°Nevertheless, the reason for refusing¡ª¡± I lowered my eyes, then resolutely raised my eyes and said, ¡°The Prince¡­¡± [¡­¡­] ¡°It¡¯s because you don¡¯t seem like a good man at all.¡± [¡­¡­!!!] Gerard was silent for a moment as it was terribly unexpected. It was probably the first time. Such a direct and honest evaluation. All of El Dorado was praising Gerard¡¯s talents as well as his virtues. Gerard, who had been silent for quite a while, as if in embarrassment, quickly asked me. It was with a very gentle voice. But he couldn¡¯t hide his deep curiosity. [Why do you think so, Annette? I think I¡¯ve been kind to you.] I humbly bowed my head. ¡°The weaker herbivores are, the more sensitive they are to the smell of fear and danger.¡± When a lion chases, the deer runs away from a distance of several tens of meters. ¡°I¡­ I had a feeling that the Prince is not as generous with children as he seemed.¡± It was a pretty poor evaluation. ¡®Is he going to get mad?¡¯ Gerard¡¯s acting skills were really excellent, but I spoke so recklessly. Besides, Gerard was surrounded by a lot of nobles who tried to kiss his ass (?), so his personality must have been praised a lot. But it was like throwing a fastball saying, ¡®I don¡¯t think your personality is that good!¡¯ A mere orphan, a 12-year-old kid. But then. Unexpectedly, a low laugh erupted from the scroll. CH 43 ¡®Ugh, you¡¯re laughing?!¡¯ ¡®Heuk-heuk, I insulted you out loud, so why are you laughing? It¡¯s even scarier!¡¯ My eyes were widening to a laughter that I couldn¡¯t understand, but a terrifyingly low voice came out later. [You are right.] For a moment, my spine stood still. [I will probably be the worst kind of father who abuses children.] ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± H-Huh? I think the fastball I just threw came back to me? In the first place, adopting a child with the intention of abuse? ¡®What is with this crazy villain?!¡¯ The voice that spoke was still so gentle that it gave me goosebumps. ¡®What the hell are you going to do to me after adopting me?¡¯ It was at the time when I was slowly questioning his intentions. [But Annette¡­ You are a pitiful young girl, a wretchedly feeble girl.] ¡°¡­¡­¡± [If I forcibly adopt you and take away the cigarette case¡­ What can you do?] ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± ¡®No, look at this bastard, he¡¯s just going all out.¡¯ ¡®Now that the truth has been revealed, there is no need to act?¡¯ But when I heard the laughing voice that followed, I realized it. [What can you do?] He was ignoring me to begin with. He was treating me like a helpless bug that could do nothing. Unconsciously, my fists were clenched tightly. ¡®He¡¯s a human being that I really can¡¯t get along with.¡¯ So, is it my turn now? ¡°Then, Prince.¡± I looked up at the parchment as if Gerard¡¯s face was in front of me, and raised the corners of my lips boldly. ¡°What if I ¡®accidentally¡¯ lose the case?¡± [¡­What?] ¡®As the prince said, I am a young and fragile 12-year-old, so I make a lot of mistakes.¡¯ I put my hands together and deliberately made an innocent expression like an apologetic hamster. ¡°So perhaps¡ª It might be carelessly lost, in a place where no one could find it ¡®forever¡¯? The Prince¡¯s most precious thing!¡± [¡­You dare!!!] When I finished speaking, I smiled. ¡®Look at how loud his voice became at once.¡¯ My heart was refreshed upon seeing that the composure he had maintained while pretending to be gentle was broken. ¡®You¡¯re not the only one who knows how to make threats?¡¯ ¡®Don¡¯t I have your oh-so precious thing in my hands?¡¯ ¡®In such a case, if you ignore your opponent, you can become screwed, Prince.¡¯ ¡®You should learn about life.¡¯ [¡­¡­] He didn¡¯t know the basics of negotiation that even a 12-year-old knew. Tsk tsk. Gerard did not answer for a long time. But soon, he answered with a calm breath. [¡­Good night. I¡¯ll consider your proposal and let you know when the sun is up.] Still, he was a cool-headed person. I didn¡¯t stay excited for long, and I chose the best in my current situation without being swayed. Anyway, my offer to negotiate was accepted, so this conversation was a clear win for me. I nodded politely¡ª I bowed my head. Then put the victor¡¯s leisure into the corners of my lips. ¡°Thank you, Prince. Then I¡¯ll wait and I hope you get a positive answer!¡± It was a pretty neat finish. *** The next day, the dining room. The children were at war in front of a diet composed of raw vegetables. Of course, there were people who were happy even during the war. ¡°Wow, this is my favorite salad!¡± Sasha bit a piece of grass the size of a pellet with a happy face, then poured jelly into her fist sized mouth and happily chewed it. I looked at the scene with cloudy eyes. ¡°As expected, salad is delicious!¡± Sasha, wouldn¡¯t even the street lamp be delicious if you eat it in that proportion¡­? ¡°I lwike shalwd too (I like salad too).¡± Julien ate the little leaves. Every time he ate, his plump cheeks shook. Sasha, who was eating jelly with three pieces of salad, asked Julien. ¡°Ung, but Julien, what is that bag?¡± ¡°It¡¯s!¡± Julien excitedly shook his bag. It was a bag with the design of a squirrel carrying a giant acorn. ¡°I lwike thish squiwel bag! Anet gawe it to miu (I like this squirrel bag! Annette gave it to me).¡± Julien looked at me with his large sky-blue eyes. The twinkling eyes were harmless enough to make me feel at ease. ¡°Thank you, Annette!¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome, Julien!¡± I smiled and respectfully greeted the adorable boy. Then came a yawn, ¡°Ahhhh.¡± ¡®Ahh, I couldn¡¯t sleep yesterday, so I¡¯m really sleepy.¡¯ It was clear that a child¡¯s body was more vulnerable to drowsiness than an adult. Even though my favorite cream bun came out today, I kept nodding off. I rested my head on my chin as I ate the bread and thought. Actually, yesterday¡ª I asked him just in the nick of time before the crow withdrew. ¡°By the way, I also want to ask you one last question. Prince¡­ Why did you decide to adopt me?¡± ¡®Why me?¡¯ I was known for being a non-awakened child, and apart from my sincere attitude, there was nothing special about me. There were many children in the Forest with higher grades than me. It was nothing more than that. If the prince said he wanted to adopt a child, perhaps even nobles would just give away their own children even if they were born of good blood. Like¡­ My child is going to become an imperial family member! ¡°¡­There must be many more suitable children in the Empire than me.¡± Gerard replied briefly. [It has to be you. I¡¯m not interested in other kids.] This was a line usually said by the male lead in novels. But why was he saying it¡­? If my ideal dad had said something like that, I would have been very excited, but I was horrified to hear such a thing from an aspiring bad dad who had no respect for the elderly at all. ¡®No matter how much I think about it, I don¡¯t know why.¡¯ By now, the prince must be in great agony. Whether to accept my offer or not. However, there would be no other option. ¡®It¡¯s a very valuable item, so he wouldn¡¯t dare make a fuss in the Forest.¡¯ As it would then be noisy. Precious things could sometimes become weaknesses. Whether it¡¯s a person or a thing. In particular, it would be fatal to an imperial family member in such a high position like Gerard. ¡®He¡¯ll want to hide it as much as possible.¡¯ ¡®So it¡¯s clear that he won¡¯t be able to do radical actions like suddenly attacking the Forest.¡¯ Truthfully, when I sent the card to Gerard, I had already finished calculating this part. In the end, he would have no choice but to ponder about my proposal¡­ ¡®What will he choose?¡¯ I was curious and subtly intrigued, and I raised the corners of my lips slightly wickedly. ¡°Sister, why aren¡¯t you eating?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± When I suddenly raised my head at the voice calling me, Heinrich narrowed his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s your favorite cream bread. Why aren¡¯t you eating it as usual? What are you worried about?¡± I shook my head in surprise. ¡°No, I don¡¯t have a problem. I¡¯m eating well.¡± Then, as soon as I finished speaking, I ate the fluffy cream bread. ¡®I can¡¯t let the children find out I¡¯m worried about my adoption. Never.¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­¡± Heinrich looked at me with his purple eyes narrowed. Sislin alternated his gaze between Heinrich and I. Feeling a sense of crisis in front of the quick-witted kids, I smiled as naturally as possible while holding the plate. ¡°Oh well~ I left something behind, and so I¡¯ll stop by the dormitory for a while. Eat well, guys.¡± ¡°Gwudbywu Annette (Goodbye Annette).¡± ¡°You have to come back later~¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I waved to Julien and Sasha cheerfully and left quickly. *** ¡°Phew, I think I know what it means by ¡®you can¡¯t even drink water carelessly in front of babies¡¯.¡± Everyone was surprisingly quick to catch on. Especially about me. ¡°That¡¯s why I hope it will be finished as soon as possible.¡± ¡®Why hasn¡¯t he contacted me?¡¯ It was at that time when I entered the dormitory, wondering if I was too impatient to expect an answer right after breakfast. ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± ¡°Who is it? An intruder?¡±¡® My bed and locker were all in a mess. As if a thief went through it. ¡°¡­¡­Caw!¡± Just then, a clever-looking crow grabbed my key and opened the treasury (drawer) and, as if startled, it dropped the key. Oh, I know this crow! ¡°You¡­ Prince Gerard sent you?!¡¯ There was a strong barrier around this mansion that prevented intruders from entering, but there was one exception. It was the carrier bird (sometimes not necessarily a bird, but some other animal) sent by the nobles. Because the El Dorado nobles wanted to confirm the knowledge and character of the tree they were interested in by exchanging letters at any time. So everyone was allowed to enter the Forest garden, but only the little animals carrying letters were allowed to enter the mansion. He was aiming for it. ¡®How dare he get a speechless little beast to do such a naughty thing!¡¯ But considering it was a beast who was unable to speak, the expression on the crow¡¯s face¡­ It was, like, pretty mean. As if it knew exactly what was going on. ¡°¡­Caw.¡± Sneakily¡ª The crow glanced at me and picked up the key again. ¡®What?¡¯ That was a sight I had seen somewhere before. Yes, when I turned on the light to go to the kitchen at night to get some water, I ran into a cockroach. ¡®But this situation is like the cockroach is watching me¡­!¡¯ ¡®It needs to be punished.¡¯ I quietly picked up the pillow. And. Woong! I advanced and started swinging the pillow. ¡°Caw?!¡± Phut¨C phut! The beaten bird dropped the key and wore a stupid expression for a moment. ¡°Naughty crows need a spanking, a spanking!¡± Phut! ¡°Caw!?!!¡± Phut! ¡°Caaaaw!?¡± The crow flew out of the window and frantically stumbled down ¡ª staggering down, then fled again, flapping its wings. ¡®Wow, I kicked it out.¡¯ My stuff, nothing¡¯s missing, right? I quickly opened the treasure chest drawer with the key. There were my treasures. A soap bubble stick, a teddy bear made with Sasha, and even a lid of a can from Julien. Fortunately, none was lost and everything was safe. ¡®Aren¡¯t you looking down on me too much, Prince?¡¯ Of course, rather than looking down¡ª ¡®There must have been no other way.¡¯ It must be like catching straws. ¡®I¡¯m sorry, but this straw is rotten?¡¯ The cigarette case wasn¡¯t here. Gerard would never know, I hid it in an unimaginable place! I headed straight to the classroom. Just then, I saw Julien walking down the hallway. ¡°Julien!¡± ¨CPpojak? When Julien looked back at me, he approached me with a laugh, ¡°Hehe.¡± ¡°Annette! Are you going to class?¡± ¡°Yes! Wait a minute. Will you come and turn around?¡± ¡°Okie.¡± I pulled the cigarette case out of the squirrel bag (the secret space inside the king-sized acorn that the squirrel is holding). ¡®Haha, it¡¯s all right.¡¯ This ¡®moving shiny safe¡¯ was quite suitable for hiding things. To begin with, a harmless child like Julien was less likely to be suspected, and, realistically, even if one went through the squirrel bag, the acorn was just decoration and did not look like a storage space. ¡®Originally it was just a decoration, but through my handiwork, I remodeled it. Whoo-hoo!¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s worth it.¡¯ I rubbed my nose and smiled wickedly. I suddenly wondered. ¡®Now, how will Gerard respond?¡¯ That afternoon. Gerard¡¯s reply came from the Imperial Palace. He seemed to have realized that dirty tricks wouldn¡¯t work. Gulp¨C ¡®What would he say?¡¯ About my proposal. I took a deep breath and opened the card to check the contents. Then my eyes widened. ¡°¡­This.¡± CH 44 ¡¸We have officially withdrawn the adoption of Annette. ¡ªGerard von Axelferion¡¹ ¡®I did it!¡¯ I covered my mouth with joy. At the moment when I was sweetly enjoying the joy of victory, I noticed the words that were written with a lot of pressure. ¡®Ah, he must have clenched his teeth in anger.¡¯ When I remembered Gerard¡¯s trembling face, I felt somewhat refreshed. ¡®Fufu. Fool.¡¯ Madam Mimosa, who gave me the card, said to me, ¡°The Prince¡¯s aide is coming to see you tomorrow afternoon. He says there¡¯s an issue to settle.¡± ¡®He¡¯s trying to get the cigarette case.¡¯ Before that, I should make sure. I asked Madam Mimosa. ¡°Is it impossible to cancel the withdrawal of adoption?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Annette.¡± Madam Mimosa showed me the thick rule book (it¡¯s a book of Forest regulations, she opened up the exact part accurately.) [If the adoptee withdraws his/her intention to adopt, re-adoption is not possible. (However, except for re-adoption requests from the Tree¡¯s side.) This is to respect the human rights of Trees.] ¡®It¡¯s a rule made out of worry that the children would be hurt because of the nobles who do this and that without careful consideration.¡¯ It worked very well for me. Because Gerard would never be able to ask to adopt me again. Madam Mimosa asked with an expression of strong curiosity. ¡°How the hell did you convince the Prince, Annette? He is by no means a man who would be persuaded.¡± ¡°¡­Well.¡± It wasn¡¯t persuasion. Was it a mix of 80% transaction, 15% intimidation, and gambling in the remaining 5%? I replied with a smile. ¡°I just slowly told him what I thought. I have to go now, Madam!¡± I said goodbye to the madam, who looked full of interest, and left the room. My steps were very light. *** ¡°Sister is suspicious.¡± Heinrich said seriously with his arms crossed. Now, the boys were alone in the incinerator. It was Heinrich who secretly enticed Sislin, saying he had something to say. It was unusual. He usually doesn¡¯t make such a proposal. Because they treat each other like shit. So, Sislin knew that something serious had happened. ¡°Annette is suspicious. What do you mean?¡± Sislin¡¯s expression sharpened when Annette¡¯s name appeared. ¡°Didn¡¯t Sister say anything to you?¡± ¡°Tell me so I can understand.¡± ¡°Sister asked me something strange.¡± Heinrich gently stroked his chin. ¡°She asked me what I would do if she was adopted? Asking something like that¡­ It was her first time. Besides, wasn¡¯t she a bit suspicious at dinner earlier?¡± It was very suspicious. Heinrich explained as if he had seen a very frightening sight. ¡°Whenever a cream bun comes out, Sister eats it within 30 seconds. You know, right?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°But she didn¡¯t eat, she was lost in thought!!¡± Sislin nodded with a grave expression. Obviously, that was a huge change. Annette¡¯s lack of care for the cream bread might mean something serious had happened. ¡°It sure is strange.¡± ¡°It¡¯s clear that Sister has a problem. But I think she¡¯s trying to solve it quietly by herself. That¡¯s why I¡¯m making magic tools, to find out details and help out.¡± Heinrich¡¯s purple eyes lit up furtively. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Sislin looked at him expressionlessly. Magic. The ¡®Basic Science of Magic Tools¡¯ in the curriculum that 11-year-olds listened to was literally just basic science. ¡°Magic tools are very expensive because they are difficult to make, even with the financial resources of the Magic Tower.¡± ¡®If he¡¯s the one who¡¯s making it, it will be crude.¡¯ It wouldn¡¯t be helpful. Unless one was a tremendous genius, there was no way one would be able to make something useful just by listening to the basics of magic tools. And to find out if this silver head in front of him was a genius¡ª ¡°Ah, this genius brain.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Heinrich, who was pretending to show off by putting his hand on his forehead, met Sislin¡¯s cold eyes for a moment. ¡°Why, why are you looking at me with that expression, you bastard?! Don¡¯t look at me like that!¡± Sislin shook his head silently in front of the deaf cat. Then he said bluntly. ¡°I think you should keep an eye on Annette for a while.¡± ¡°¡­That, will be a yes.¡± The two decided to become a team. These two boys subtly despise each other, but formed a ¡®temporary alliance¡¯ for Annette. It was the first moment when the poorly constructed Ojakgyo Bridge designed by Annette worked erratically. ¡°Yes. Do well.¡± ¡°All right! Mind your own business, you bastard.¡± The fire at the incinerator burned brightly. *** ¡°Huh? Why are my ears itchy?¡± Some people must be talking about me. Stop it, stop it¡­! I rubbed my ears. Kung kung! It was then. There was a very faint knock on the window. ¡°¡­¡­?¡± But I was the only one in this warehouse? I looked out the window, puzzled, and was startled. ¡®What is that bloody cute creature?¡¯ There was a little bundle of fur. A baby squirrel with a red bow tie, a rich tail, and sparkling black eyes. Its front teeth were protruding cutely. The squirrel again knocked on the window with its front paws (which were held together politely like begging hands). Kung, kung! ¡°¡­Oh, did it knock with its little forefoot?¡± ¡®Aww, it¡¯s so cute I¡¯m dying!!!¡¯ I ran quickly and swung the window open. Then the squirrel jumped up and pulled out a card the size of its body from under the window. ¡®Is it a carrier animal?¡¯ As I accepted the card, the gentlemanly squirrel bowed and greeted me politely with a nice pose. ¡°Thank you, my cute little friend.¡± The card had an emblem of a crossed magic gun, a skull, and a rose. Where could it be from? A family that used a cute squirrel instead of a carrier bird. ¡®I¡¯ve learned about this emblem in class.¡¯ Magic guns, in particular, were used by wild and cruel intelligence agents in the underworld, so few nobles used them. There was only one family in the country that used this shotgun. ¡°The Marquisate of Winston!¡± Sure enough, his signature was written in a luxurious cursive font under the emblem of the family. Bizet Winston ¡®I think a lot of good things are going to happen today.¡¯ I received confirmation that I had escaped from that damn prince and the Imperial Palace, and if that wasn¡¯t enough, I also got an invitation from my innocent supporter. As I was excitedly opening the card, I flinched. ¡®Maybe not.¡¯ Come to think of it, he might have belatedly thought it was too much of an invitation, so he might be writing to me to cancel it. ¡®Maybe it was a word of apology.¡¯ The truth is, I still haven¡¯t been able to find out why my sponsor supported me. I was from an orphanage in my previous life, and no one wanted to adopt me. An orphan girl with nothing special. No adult had ever been so kind to me. The orphanage I was at in my previous life was not as good as the ¡®Forest¡¯, and I was always hungry because the director was a villain who stole the state subsidies. The only time I enjoyed myself was at the baking class held at the orphanage once a week. The smell of that fragrant bread. The smell of bread meant that I did not have to starve today. It was the smell of abundance and warmth. So, when I left the place at the age of 18, I had a precious dream of becoming a ¡®bakery owner¡¯. That was my lifelong dream. I really wanted to achieve it at least once. It always warmed my heart to imagine opening a small bakery and distributing a lot of delicious bread to hungry people. What did I say as I walked out from the orphanage gate? ¡°This is the beginning. My life.¡± The moment I said that, I was hit by a drunk driving motorcycle and died instantly. ¡®It was really a life without much to see.¡¯ My shoulders drooped a little. ¡®Strangely, I don¡¯t have the courage.¡¯ Suddenly, I was afraid to open the card. ¡°Even if he cancels¡­¡± Even if the sponsor canceled the sponsorship and invitation, there was nothing I could do about it. Such blind and sweet kindness was highly likely to burst like a bubble one day. That was something I had already learned in my previous life. ¡°Huu.¡± I increased my deep breathing. Then I took out an acorn stored in the warehouse and gave it to the helpful baby squirrel. Nyam, nom, nom¡ª The carrier bird (?) from Winston eagerly ate the acorn, holding it with its cute front paws. In the meantime, I put a pile of soft straw on top of a box in the warehouse, and after sitting down cozily, I opened the card. ¡®Let¡¯s never be disappointed with anything.¡¯ I swore and read it. ¡¸Dear Miss Annette. I¡¯m finally ready to invite Annette to the marquistate. At 11am in two days, will you come to my house? I have prepared a lot of food that Annette will like. I hope it¡¯s not insufficient, but I don¡¯t know what more to do. Every day, I made an invitation plan while thinking about what my baby would like. Oh, by the way, Kyle is looking forward to it too. He asked me to keep this a secret, but after the banquet where he met Annette, every day, he has been so excited that he can¡¯t sleep. I have to agree with him. I¡¯ll see you on that day. ¡ªWith affection, your sponsor.¡¹ It was as warm as a very friendly hug. Contrary to my expectations¡­ Anxiety and worry melted away like snow, and I rubbed the back of my hand against my strangely tearful eyes. CH 45 Tap tap, tap. There was a small paw that touched me as if to comfort me. It was the baby squirrel. The squirrel looked at me with twinkling eyes as dark as black beans, as if asking if I was okay. ¡°Ugh, it¡¯s okay! Squirrel, I¡¯m so happy to receive such a sweet letter.¡± Since I meant it, I smiled brightly. The baby squirrel rubbed its plump cheeks with a small hand, as if relieved. ¡°I need to send a reply back to my sponsor.¡± I picked up a pen and wrote that I was grateful for the invitation and that I was very much looking forward to that day. Although I was shy, I wrote the sentences with a little friendliness. Hmm! My cheeks turned red from embarrassment. Finally, after drawing beautiful flowers, I put the card in the baby squirrel¡¯s little paws. ¡°Will you give it to him? Thank you, Squirrel.¡± The baby squirrel wiggled its voluminous tail once, as if telling me not to worry, and then quickly climbed a tree and disappeared. ¡°Whew.¡± I sighed quietly and thought. ¡®Okay, is there only one thing left now?¡¯ Direct delivery of the cigarette case. ¡®Gerard said he sent his aide to the Forest today.¡¯ Not surprisingly, after about 20 minutes, a child came and told me that the prince¡¯s aide was looking for me. ¡°The prince¡¯s aide told you to come to the incinerator, Annette.¡± What? ¡­Of all places, to the incinerator? *** The incinerator. There was a strong smell of soot from burning garbage during the day. ¡®It¡¯s a good place for a secret deal.¡¯ It was burdensome to come to see the prince¡¯s aide in such a quiet place with a child¡¯s body, but I was confident that it would be safe. ¡®If he was going to harm me, he would have called me secretly.¡¯ If he was, he wouldn¡¯t have called me through a Tree even after officially announcing that he was coming, making them a pointless witness. Besides, I also had a wizard shuttle. ¡®Fufu. The strongest wizard¡¯s ring is reassuring.¡¯ ¡®Julius¡¯ cost performance is the best!¡¯ ¡®I mean, it feels like I¡¯m using him well.¡¯ Oh, I just judged people by their cost-effectiveness! ¡°¡­¡­?¡± It was then. I felt a strange gaze from the far corner of the incinerator. At the time when I was staring at the darkness wondering if it was the aide; ¡°You are here, little girl.¡± A man suddenly appeared in front of me, making me amazed yet startled. His eyes were so thin that I could hardly see them. Pitched black hair. The corners of his lips hung a soft smile. ¡®Gerard¡¯s aide!¡¯ It was the man who removed the high priest¡¯s body from the Imperial Palace with great skill. ¡°Gee, I must have surprised you.¡± The smiling man spoke quite politely, putting his hand on his chest. ¡°I apologize.¡± He seemed like a very polite and friendly man. ¡®Like Gerard¡¯s first impression.¡¯ This person might be two faced like his master. Let¡¯s be careful. ¡°Hello, Sir Aide.¡± I bowed slightly and said hello. ¡°My name is Avilus Theses, Miss Annette. I am the First Prince¡¯s aide. Please feel free to call me ¡®Sir Theses¡¯.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir Theses.¡± Then, my gaze rested on his distinctive ear. Splendid feathers were sprouting along the man¡¯s lobe. (TL/N: fun fact, it was supposed to be ¡®auricle¡¯ instead of ¡®lobe¡¯.) ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡®This man is from Rechylus, isn¡¯t he?¡¯ Rechylus tribe. I remember what I learned in class. They were a branch of the Beast tribe, a ¡®new tribe¡¯ that managed to survive when humans persecuted and annihilated the Beast tribe in the distant past. Now, it has evolved at a rapid pace to look close to humans, leaving only the feathers around its ears (like traces of a tail in humans, like a tailbone) and its ability to communicate with birds. ¡®Was it this man? The one who sent the insolent crow that overturned my treasures!¡¯ It took me a long time to get things straight. ¡°The crow that came in the morning must have been sent by Sir Theses.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He responded quickly without even denying it. The bright smile on his face was annoying. ¡°I heard that a rat was hiding my master¡¯s precious belongings.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t the rat a crow that searches a room without the owner¡¯s permission? No, or is it the owner of the rat that made it do that?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± His eyes widened slightly as if surprised to see me responding without hesitation. Then he immediately twisted his lips. ¡°You¡¯re a very cheeky kid.¡± ¡®Aha. The type that shows his true color right away when one touches him?¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s too bad that you couldn¡¯t find it in the end and came out to trade like this. If you had just dealt with it earlier, it wouldn¡¯t have gone this far.¡± ¡°This, this, this insolent kid!¡± ¡°Take it.¡± I suddenly held out the cigarette case in front of him, who was about to become frenzied. Like an owner of a big dog who popped out a treat in front of it when it was about to bark in anger. Not surprisingly, the man¡¯s gaze was fixed on the ¡®cigarette case¡¯. He quickly snatched it away from me and tucked it inside his jacket. ¡®I¡¯m not taking it away from you, I won¡¯t take it away.¡¯ He looked just like a monster crazy about the ring, I laughed out loud. (TL/N: y¡¯all get the reference? XD lord of the rings?) ¡®At this point, I¡¯m really curious about what that thing is¡­¡¯ ¡®No, let¡¯s not be interested for nothing. ¡® Naturally, if I wanted to live a peaceful life as a bakery owner, I shouldn¡¯t be interested in anything dangerous. Knowing that would only get myself into trouble. ¡°Is that it?¡± ¡°Do you really believe it? Stupidly.¡± The aide patted his chin and looked down at me. A strange smirk hung on his lips. ¡®His eyes¡­¡¯ Beneath the thin eyelids, turquoise-blue eyes with vertical pupils like a snake were simultaneously exposed. Heck, it¡¯s so creepy. ¡°My master is a very stubborn man. He never misses anything he wants, kid.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s great.¡± I answered soulessly. ¡°¡­Don¡¯t just listen.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m rooting for you, go for it!¡± I clenched my fists and wished him good luck. I had been through too much before and after birth to be intimidated by such a silly threat, sir. Avilus said with a very annoyed expression. ¡°¡­¡­!! Uck, you really refuse to lose a single word, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s like that.¡± I was in my adolescence. I had lived as a model student until now, but there was no reason to be a model student in front of this man. Besides, I didn¡¯t like the way he threatened a child. It¡¯s the same for other children. The aide, who had a bulging vein on his forehead, said sarcastically. ¡°I¡¯m really curious how long that bold face will last.¡± Uh, uh¡­? That was a bit ominous, wasn¡¯t it? ¡®Umm, what¡¯s he up to?¡¯ Let¡¯s find out I purposely made an even more hateful expression (the most hateful expression I had ever made in my life) and said, ¡°Well, since I was born, for 12 years, I¡¯ve had this kind of expression, haven¡¯t I?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± He wasn¡¯t particularly cautious. This man. So, if I scratched him gently, he would get agitated and lose his temper and chatter at will. ¡®If you lose your composure, it will be difficult to keep a secret.¡¯ And just as expected. This ruthless bastard grabbed a 12-year-old girl by the collar without hesitation. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°You stupid rat, here¡¯s a warning.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°My master never gives up. You will be devoured from the head like a butterfly caught in the web of obsession.¡± The corners of his lips twisted fiercely. ¡°You will eventually become a princess, but you will be imprisoned in the cage of the Imperial Palace and live a life lower than a slave.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Forever living as a tool for power and squeezing¡­ In a hell where there is no sun, you will unfortunately wither and die.¡± ¨CUgh, what a long story. Bam! ¡°Ahhhhh!!!¡± The man who was threatening a child grabbed his nose and stumbled back three steps. ¡°You, you, you, this child¡­!¡± Keuik¨C ¡°Heuk, a nosebleed!¡± He cried out in shock. No matter how much of an adult he was, his nose was weaker than my head. ¡°Ah, ah! It¡¯s a mistake to step back on a stone¡­! It¡¯s a mistake!¡± (TL/N: In case it wasn¡¯t apparent, Annette stepped back on a stone, so she suddenly became ¡®taller¡¯ and headbutt the dude.) ¡®As you know, it¡¯s intentional, Sir.¡¯ (In pretense,) I covered my face with both hands, not knowing what to do. ¡°You!!!¡± Avilos appeared to be on the verge of exploding. Seeing the redness of his feathers, he seemed to be really angry. ¡°My lord told me not to kill you, but¡­ He didn¡¯t tell me not to hit you.¡± His lips twisted cruelly. ¡°This orphan girl, I¡¯ll break your habit here today!¡± The moment his large palm was lifted up in the air and about to be slapped onto my cheek. ¡ªWhoosh, bang! A black aura immediately wrapped around the man and slammed him against the wall. ¡°Keuk!¡± Avilus was in agony, his limbs tied to the black aura, as if he had been preyed upon by a thick snake. ¡°Ugh¡­ Shit!¡± I was not surprised. ¡®You intervened at the right time.¡¯ Actually, before I was in danger, I expected someone to come forward. When I felt the gaze in the dark earlier, I wondered who the person would be. ¡ªThe teachers were eliminated. A Forest teacher would either already know this meeting, or would have gone out of his or her way to bring me to the incinerator. Ordinary children, they were eliminated too. There was no child who had any reason to hide. ¡®Then there are only two candidates. ¡® Heinrich or Sislin. It was clear that one of them noticed something and followed me. Then he hid himself and watched. So to get the boy out of the dark and identify him¡ª ¡®I had to be in trouble. ¡® Because those kids run back and forth when I am in danger. Right, just like now. A voice rang out from the darkness. ¡°Leave Annette alone.¡± Jaaaak. The black aura grew stronger, and Avilus groaned in pain. A boy walked out of the dark. Black hair reflected in the moonlight, eyes that became even more red from anger. ¡°¡­Sislin.¡± The boy cupped my cheek and asked. ¡°Are you okay?¡± It was a friendly voice. He was angry though. ¡°¡­Yes! I¡¯m okay.¡± At that moment, Avilus struggled and tried to escape. ¡°You damn rats!¡± In an instant, the boy¡¯s red pupils lit up. Without taking his eyes off Annette, he spread his palms to the side. ¡ªKwang! ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± Avilus groaned and shuddered. As Annette looked at him in surprise, the boy¡¯s hand gently wrapped his hand around the back of her head and pulled her into his embrace. ¡®Don¡¯t look.¡¯ ¡®Don¡¯t look at something like this.¡¯ At that moment, his red eyes turned to the prey he had caught. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Avilus¡¯ spine stood up. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare put your hands on what¡¯s mine.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to die.¡± CH 46 ¡°¡­¡­!¡± What did this kid just say? ¡®I¡¯m sure he didn¡¯t call me , this Gwanggong?¡¯ I shifted my eyes away from Sislin¡¯s chest. ¡®Well, I must have heard it wrong.¡¯ How could such an ominous flag be raised? I tried my best to clear my brain (?) but ended up maintaining a dazed state. ¡°Damn it, uck! Ugh¡­¡± In the field, Avilus coughed. Seeing that painful moans were intermingled from time to time, it seemed difficult to bear. At this rate, he was going to kill that man. I lifted my head and looked at Sislin. ¡°Sisl, stop and release him.¡± The boy¡¯s strained eyes softened when he looked at me. ¡°¡­He tried to hurt Annette. Such a person must be killed.¡± ¡ªYou¡¯re too extreme, Mr. Gwang. ¡®When did you grow so tall?¡¯ Even though he was wearing a suppressant, he had such destructive power, I knew that he would eventually be called the ¡®Prince of War¡¯, but¡ª ¡®Now I can feel it little by little.¡¯ It felt different from when I was protecting him from Viscount Puterio. ¡®Children grow up fast¡­¡¯ Sislin was also changing. But, that didn¡¯t mean an 11-year-old should kill someone. I raised my index finger and said sharply. ¡°Sisl, 11-year-olds shouldn¡¯t use the expression ¡®killing people¡¯. Of course, you can¡¯t kill people! With exceptions¡­¡± My last two words were said very softly. Of course I hate killing people, but¡ª ¡®He did something to deserve it.¡¯ I¡¯d like to give him a tight slap. I glanced at Avilus. ¡®¡­Uh, will he die if he hits him more?¡¯ Enough was done. Ummm, any more was definitely bad for education. ¡°Why¡­ Can¡¯t I just kill him?¡± ¡°Then you¡¯re a bad kid!¡± Sislin¡¯s shoulders drooped like a wet puppy. ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Thud! At that moment, the aura that was engulfing Avilus disappeared, and he fell to the floor. ¡°Damn it, ugh.¡± Avilus seemed to be very confused. ¡®Of course.¡¯ I was also surprised to see such an extraordinary ability. In any case, this special level 1 was stronger than Avilus, even if he wore magic suppressors. I believed in that and provoked him, but Sislin was even stronger than I expected, so Avilus himself must have felt it. ¡®The fact that he couldn¡¯t stand up to him.¡¯ Even so, we couldn¡¯t fight with all our might here. Then the forest would be noisy. Gerard wanted this to be as quiet as possible. As I stepped forward in front of Sislin, I said; ¡°Now go. The deal is over.¡± ¡°¡­Damn it.¡± At my words, Avilus wiped his nosebleed with his hands, then looked at us in turn. There was murderous intent in those eyes. Surprisingly. ¡°I will make you regret this moment with tears of blood.¡± ¡®No, how can you say such scary things to kids?¡¯ ¡°See you later, you rats.¡± With typical villainous lines, Avilus vanished like the wind. I looked at the space he disappeared from and folded my arms quietly. ¡°¡ªHmp.¡± It seemed that it had been successfully resolved. Taking a deep breath, I turned to Sislin and smiled brightly. ¡°Shall we go too, Sislin?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The boy nodded quietly. *** ¡®I think the light here is broken.¡¯ It was a little dark. I was walking side by side with Sislin through a dimly lit corridor. Sislin looked as if he had many questions he wanted to ask me. ¡®It¡¯s understandable¡­ He must have heard all of that conversation while in hiding. ¡® But, cautiously, he didn¡¯t ask me about this or that in haste. ¡®He¡¯s waiting for me to tell him first.¡¯ There were too many things Sislin had seen and heard to keep silent. In the end, I opened my mouth first. ¡°Sisl, do you want to know what happened? Do you want me to tell you?¡± ¡°¡­Tell me.¡± As if waiting, Sislin answered so. Okay. ¡®If I don¡¯t tell him, my baby will be worried and anxious alone.¡¯ ¡°What happened¡ª¡± I explained the whole story, starting with the cigarette case (of course, I didn¡¯t say anything about the black jewel, I only described it as the prince¡¯s ¡®cherished item¡¯). Then about Gerard¡¯s application for adoption, and even the rough details of the negotiations I proposed. ¡°¡ªSo, it¡¯s all over now. I¡¯ll be staying in the Forest. What do you think, isn¡¯t it nice?¡± I smiled broadly and asked Sislin. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Sislin bowed his head. ¡®Ah, my baby, you¡¯re gloomy again!¡¯ ¡®Why aren¡¯t you happy?¡¯ I thought he would be happy because we would remain together¡­ ¡°Annette.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Sislin raised his head and looked at me. And, he spoke so maturely that I couldn¡¯t even imagine it coming out of Sislin¡¯s mouth. ¡°You must have been worried and scared by yourself.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± A warm hand wrapped around one of my cheeks. In an instant, my heart melted. The heart that was hardened like armor while fighting and defending against Gerard. And only then did I realize. That I was very worried, anxious, and sometimes scared by myself. ¡°Annette.¡± As if reading my expression, Sislin embraced me deeply in his arms. How could this hug be so warm? I thought he was just a child. ¡°If something like this happens in the future, please tell me.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll be worried.¡± ¡°I like to worry about you.¡± ¡ªIt¡¯s silly of him to worry. Even with that thought, the boy¡¯s blind affection, even worrying about me, quickly dispelled my fears and gave me peace of mind. ¡®He¡¯s grown up really well.¡¯ All of a sudden, I was reminded of the past Sislin. He looked like an animal that lived in the cave. A poor boy who was afraid of water, who tried to blow soap bubbles for the first time. A child who was like a small wild animal who couldn¡¯t mix well with other children¡­ The boy I thought I should always protect and save had grown up. ¡®I¡¯m relieved now.¡¯ Even if I disappear one day, Sislin. ¡®You¡¯ve grown up so well, enough to be happy on your own?¡¯ Sislin pulled me out of his arms and whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t hide anything.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Because I want to know everything about you.¡± I was startled for a moment. His passionate obsession was peeking out of his blazing red eyes. But only for a moment. ¡°I will protect you for the rest of your life, Annette.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°As we grow older¡­ Even if many years pass and you become a grandmother, I will protect you.¡± The promise that followed was so sweet and innocent that it made me smile without realizing it. ¡°Ung, okay!¡± I laughed happily at the boy¡¯s growth. Right then; Ping-! The dark corridor lit up as if it was a lie. Defying the darkness at once, sparkling lights were embroidered on the ceiling. We looked at each other and smiled. ¡°Shall we go, Annette?¡± ¡°Yeah, Sisl!¡± The two small shadows crossed the corridor holding hands, leaning on each other. For quite some time, very, very, very lovingly. *** ¡°Whew¡­¡± In a warehouse away from the dormitory, at dawn. I came here while the children were all asleep. While coming, I looked back over and over again, making sure no one was following me. What happened at the incinerator shouldn¡¯t ever happen again. ¡°Okay. There¡¯s no one here.¡± Now, let¡¯s gather some thoughts together. When I purposely taunted Avilos earlier¡ª The important words he uttered while falling for the provocation. ¡°You naughty girl, let me give you a warning.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°My master never gives up. You will be devoured from the head like a butterfly caught in the web of obsession.¡± It gave off a nuance that this would not be the end, thanks to Gerard¡¯s strong tenacity. Despite the deal being made, Avilus¡¯ tone was very confident. What else was Gerard up to? ¡®But now re-adoption is impossible. It¡¯s written exactly in the rulebook¡­¡¯ I gently rubbed my chin. ¡®I can¡¯t just relax. But still.¡¯ If Gerard, who had retreated, stretched out towards me again, it was clear that this time it would be more terrifying. The thirst for the prey that was once missed would burn even more. ¡®Let¡¯s set up a plan B.¡¯ I would need a contingency plan soon. In fact, Plan B had been prepared for quite some time. ¡ªYes, it had been prepared for quite some time. My super secret plan. ¡®It¡¯s reassuring just thinking about it.¡¯ What else did Avilus say? ¡°You will eventually become a princess, but¡ª¡± He didn¡¯t say that I would become a ¡®daughter of the imperial family¡¯, he said that I would become a ¡®princess¡¯. This meant that there was no doubt that Gerard would be crowned crown prince and become the next emperor. ¡®And he¡¯s the aide.¡¯ How firm was Gerard¡¯s attitude that even his aide would naturally talk like that? ¡°In the original story, it didn¡¯t seem like he was aiming for the position of crown prince¡­?¡± I muttered suspiciously and shook my head. ¡°No. I cannot only believe in the original.¡± After all, ¡®Annette¡¯, who didn¡¯t even exist in the original, was playing like this? In addition, not all information appeared in the original. ¡®Let¡¯s revise the rating.¡¯ Gerard was most likely to be obsessed with power. It was information that was not in the original novel. And, lastly. A decisive error of speech made by Avilus, who was foolishly agitated by the provocation. ¡°You¡¯ll live forever as a tool for power and squeezing¡ª¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± I shook my head, frustrated. ¡°He also knew what I was capable of!¡± That was why he was saying that he was only interested in me, that he didn¡¯t need the other kids, and such. But, how? How did he know? I was confused as to whether only I was aware of my ability or whether only I knew I had inherited the soul of Exordium. Sordi and Um might be able to answer. ¡°Sordi, Um. anyone there?¡± I carefully summoned my guardian deities, but koo-ng, it was silence itself. Ah, of course, they were¡­? Somewhere? They couldn¡¯t be called easily, could they? They did say that in order to freely use their abilities, it was necessary to add resonance with the soul of Exorodium. ¡®Uhh, shall I praise them?¡¯ ¡®Because compliments are perfect for getting to know each other!¡¯ ¡°Mr. Sordi, the handsome lily! Please come out, Mr. Um, who is cool like a wolf!¡± Also silence. For no reason, I called someone ¡®handsome lily¡¯ and ¡®wolf¡¯, and it made me cringe. I was the only one embarrassed, right? One normal person disappeared. I scratched my chin lightly and frowned. Then I cried out without thinking much. ¡°Mom and dad!!!¡± At that moment, swoosh, woo-wook¡ª there was a spacetime warp, and the silhouettes of two men appeared. I thought blankly. ¡®¡ªIs this supposed to happen?¡¯ Soon, a handsome man as neat as a lily and a man with bright red hair greeted me, side by side. ¡°Hello, pretty sweetheart.¡± ¡°Glutinous rice, did you call us?¡± The two guardian gods whom I met after a long time looked down at me and smiled sweetly. CH 47 *** I explained the story to Sordi and Um, and they listened seriously. ¡°So this is what happened, does Prince Gerard know of my powers?¡± ¡°¡­Hmmm. I¡¯m worried.¡± Um, who listened seriously with his thick arms crossed, reached out and rubbed my cheeks like they were sticky rice cakes. Then he fell into thought. ¡®¡­Why? Why are you so lost in thought while touching my cheeks?¡¯ ¡°Oh sorry. When I touch something that is soft, I feel a little better. Hahaha!¡± ¡°Thwt¡¯s rwight¡­ (That¡¯s right).¡± As soon as my pronunciation became wobbly, Um, who released my cheeks just then, waved his hands out of disappointment before answering. ¡°If the aide said that, then Prince Gerard definitely applied for adoption targeting your ability.¡± Oh, I knew it! ¡°Maybe¡­ Gerard must be able to see your soul. What do you think, Sordi?¡± ¡°I think so too.¡± I couldn¡¯t believe he could see my soul. ¡®Then does it mean he has the same eyes as Madam Mimosa?¡¯ The fact that Madam Mimosa could see the color of one¡¯s soul was stated in the original story. This was the information that came out when unraveling the settings for the ¡®Forest¡¯, the childhood of the main characters. ¡®There was nothing about Gerard in the original.¡¯ ¡°Please explain a little more.¡± At my request, the handsome lily man smiled neatly and began to speak gently. ¡°After Exordium, the first shaman, other sorcerers emerged in this land. But not all of them were good.¡± ¡°Yes. Wicked sorcerers who enjoyed deceiving others and living for personal gain, or corrupting humans. Purely for their own pleasure!¡± ¡®Not all sorcerers were good people.¡¯ Gulp. I swallowed my saliva. Raising his thick eyebrows, Um said, ¡°They lived like dog crap¡ª ah, no, I was harsh in front of the baby.¡± When Sordi tapped Um¡¯s side at the ¡®dog crap¡¯ part (he was smiling beautifully, but he was quite firm), Um flinched and quickly covered his lips, oop! He corrected his words. ¡°Most of the sorcerers who lived a bad life lose their souls when they die, but some parasitize humans by using their souls.¡± The handsome lily continued the wolf¡¯s words. ¡°Just as Exordium inherits its soul to one who is kind and warm like our baby¡ª¡± ¡°Those bad things choose people similar to themselves and make a contract with them, and then they get ¡®sorcerer¡¯s eyes¡¯¡­ They can see the soul with those eyes.¡± ¡°Aha.¡± As I nodded, Sordi continued. ¡°Then the contractor can use the power of the sorcerer¡¯s soul. Also, the ¡®sorcerer¡¯s eyes¡¯ will allow them to identify and possess talented people.¡± As I listened, I lifted my index finger. ¡°Then to sum it up¡ª¡± Hwoo, I took a deep breath and then exhaled. ¡°Gerard, who made a contract with the soul of a sorcerer, has learned of my ability, so he must be trying to suck the blood out of me!¡± Um laughed cheerfully. ¡°Hahahaha. That¡¯s right! Glutinous rice, you¡¯re so smart!¡± ¡®Hey, please don¡¯t be happy all the time, heuk-heuk.¡¯ I lowered my eyebrows sadly. ¡®It¡¯s like being a golden goblin loaded with items in a game¡­¡¯ ¡®If you catch me, legendary items will fall. I¡¯m sure the entire country will come after me too.¡¯ ¡®Wait, then, is Madam Mimosa also a contractor?¡¯ It didn¡¯t seem like she had the power of a sorcerer. Except for those eyes. After thinking deeply, I asked again. ¡°Could you give the sorcerer¡¯s eyes to others?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, sweetheart.¡± The handsome lily explained. ¡°The sorcerer¡¯s eyes are completed by inserting a ¡®cast¡¯ imbued with magic power into the eyeball. So you can give one of the castings to someone else.¡± Then, it was a little more appropriate to think that Madam Mimosa received only an ¡®eye¡¯. ¡®Did she get that eye from Gerard?¡± It was when I was troubled. ¡°But why are you asking that?¡± ¡°Oh, no¡­¡± At the question of the red wolf, I quickly hesitated and shook my head. ¡°I¡¯m just curious.¡± I couldn¡¯t tell these two that I read about it in the original. Then Sordi said, ¡°Madam Mimosa has long been famous for having the ¡®sorcerer¡¯s eye¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­Oh, really?¡± ¡°Well, when the power of sorcery settled in a stronghold and began to gather talented children, the sorcerers also noticed.¡± Um folded his arms and nodded, his golden eyes shining. ¡°It was a pretty famous event.¡± ¡®But.¡¯ She was running the ¡®Forest¡¯ on the land where the first sorcerer gave his life to cast a powerful spell. No matter how secret it was from the general public, all sorcerers would have been interested. ¡°Anyway, even if she had ¡®sorcerer¡¯s eyes¡¯, she wouldn¡¯t know about your succession, glutinous rice.¡± Sordi supplemented Um¡¯s words. ¡°The souls of those who ¡®inherited¡¯ the soul of Exordium do not change the color like the Awakened. This is a fact that no one knows, only we know.¡± ¡®Also¡­ I was right.¡¯ When Madam Mimosa didn¡¯t notice my changes after the ¡®level test¡¯, I assumed that was the reason. ¡°Then, Gerard is planning to adopt me and awaken me.¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± Sordi wrapped his white, thin hands around my hands. Then he fixed his eyes on mine. ¡°Baby, the humans who¡¯ve made a deal with a wicked sorcerer are dangerous. You haven¡¯t resonated well enough with us yet, so we can¡¯t use our powers to stop him.¡± The red wolf said with a glint in his gold eyes. ¡°If you could handle my fire to my heart¡¯s content, I could burn that bastard¡­¡± Sordi and Um looked at each other, then gazed back at me, sad and worried. ¡°What if he threatens you, glutinous rice?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry!¡± I laughed softly. Then I pounded my chest with my little hand, bam bam! and said with a smirk. ¡°At that time, I will do my best to protect myself!¡± Ack. The innocent handsome lily-like man¡¯s expression became emotional and he covered his mouth with his hand. ¡°How could you be so young¡­ My baby is so brave and pretty at heart.¡± Uh huh? Was it suddenly that time again? The time for bean pods for the gay couple¡¯s baby? ¡°You¡¯re saying that because you¡¯re afraid we¡¯ll be worried¡­ Is it also part of a successor? Even your consideration is perfect. It¡¯s pretty good, glutinous rice!¡± It¡¯s not. I really meant to protect myself, gentlemen. ¡®Because I am precious¡­?¡¯ ¡°Let¡¯s hug, my sweetheart.¡± ¡°Me too! Let¡¯s hug glutinous rice! Come on!¡± I was caught and squeezed hard between the innocent handsomeness of a lily and the wild muscularity. ¡°I wdunt twow boorwthe (I want to breathe).¡± It was then. There was a little noise coming from outside. ¡°Sister! Is it you Sister? Where are you?¡± Ah, that¡¯s Heinrich¡¯s voice?! With a blink of an eye, I quickly signaled! That it was okay for the both of them to return. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Sordi and Um smiled at me and gave me a brief glance, and then disappeared in a flash. *** ¡°Heinrich!¡± ¡°What, why are you leaving the warehouse?¡± Heinrich¡¯s purple eyes shone with suspicion. I smiled softly and returned the question. ¡°Are you still not sleeping at this late hour?¡± ¡°¡­Without Sister, how can I sleep alone?¡± Oh my, my baby. I approached and hugged Heinrich tightly. ¡°My Heinri, you can¡¯t sleep alone, you still have a long way to go to grow up~¡± ¡®Heinrich is still the same¡­ That¡¯s really cute. My baby.¡¯ There were boys who grew up like Sislin, and there were still pampered boys. The chihuahua¡¯s ears turned red. ¡°It¡¯s not that I can¡¯t sleep alone, it¡¯s that I¡¯m worried about Sister. Like an adult!¡± ¡°Yes~¡± ¡°Really.¡± While emphasizing it over and over again, and after asking if it was okay to hug me, Heinrich quietly embraced me and shook his head. Then, he asked, rolling his eyes like a puppy worried about his master. ¡°Sister, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Ahh. Nothing at all?¡± Really, it wasn¡¯t a lie. It was true that something happened, but I had already completely solved it! And this was something Heinrich should not know in the first place. When I asked what it would be like to go for adoption, Chihuahua said this with the utmost sincerity. ¡°If a bad guy tries to adopt you, I¡¯ll rip him to shreds!¡± ¨DUh, uhm. I should be careful with Heinrich. Whether it¡¯s the imperial family or a noble, he was a child who ran without looking forward or backwards. If Heinrich found out, he was sure to ¡®excitedly tear apart¡¯ the first prince of the empire. Furthermore. ¡®Gerard is too dangerous.¡¯ It was not yet known what kind of sorcerer¡¯s soul he made a contract with, so I had no idea what kind of ability he had. This meant that it was impossible to retaliate. ¡®Didn¡¯t he think he was under a curse?¡¯ He said this. On the day he killed High Priest Arthur. ¡°It is not a disease that I am suffering from. Isn¡¯t it closer to a ¡®curse¡¯?¡± It was clearly a very evil curse. Seeing that he made even the priests of the Great Temple research to break the curse. Perhaps, even with the power of the sorcerer, this ¡®curse¡¯ could not be solved, right? ¡®¡­What kind of curse is it?¡¯ ¡°Sister, what do you think?¡± Huk. I was thinking of something else for a moment, then I looked at Heinrich in surprise. However, I soon released the boy from my arms and smiled softly. ¡°Oh, I was dazed for a moment. It¡¯s comfortable to hold Heinrich!¡± ¡°¡­What.¡± Even though he said that, Heinrich¡¯s cheeks were slightly red. Anyone could see it was an expression of delight. For a second, Heinrich scratched his cheek, he seemed to be hesitating about something. ¡°Sister.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°¡­Actually, I have something to say.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°Promise me. You shouldn¡¯t be surprised by what I say!¡± ¡®¡­Does he already think I¡¯ll be surprised to hear that?¡¯ I blinked and looked at Heinrich. CH 48 ¡°Don¡¯t make fun of me.¡± ¡°Huh? I¡¯m getting more and more curious. Heinrich, tell me.¡± Heinrich scratched the back of his head. ¡®Damn it, I lost my confidence. Because that young beast sneered at me.¡¯ It was not an outright mockery. However, he certainly looked at him with the eyes of ¡®gentle contempt¡¯. To him, who was very proud of his ability to make magic tools. Of course, it was not common for an 11-year-old to make magic tools. ¡®¡­I¡¯m a genius!¡¯ ¡®What if Sister also laughs at me?¡¯ Heinrich, who was always arrogant and conceited, only did not want to be ridiculed by Annette. He wanted to look like a nice guy. Heinrich said in a low voice, hesitating like a puppy who wandered into a remote area. ¡°Sister, I am making a magic tool. It is almost complete.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that great¡ª¡± ¡°Our Heinri is a genius!!!¡± Annette¡¯s pale green eyes brightened with delight. ¡°As expected, our Heinri is a genius. Really cool. You¡¯re going to be the smartest 11-year-old!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re the best in the world!¡± Keukrul. The corners of Heinrich¡¯s lips rose. The original arrogance, confidence, and temperament was regained in his eyes. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Yeah! Yup! After all, our Heinrich is so amazing and cool¡ª show me too!¡± ¡°Because it is not yet complete. It¡¯s in the middle of testing.¡± ¡°Then will you show me when it¡¯s finished?¡± ¡°¡­Of course.¡± Heinrich¡¯s shoulders were raised a lot. It¡¯s like a 10-layer shoulder pad. Like a conceited cat. I grinned inwardly. ¡®My baby¡¯s confidence has grown. Cute.¡¯ Earlier, like a ball of cotton drenched in water, he was like ¡®Hing¡­¡¯ Because of this, I did not purposely try to be a bit mischievous. Of course, developing magic tools at the age of 11 was genius in itself. In the original story, Heinrich had a genius talent for magic. Maybe that was the setting for the character ¡®Heinrich¡¯. But he wasn¡¯t interested in magic tools¡­ Why did it change? Suddenly? ¡°Sister, I¡¯m going to make a lot of money with magic tools.¡± ¡°Huh, money¡­?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I tilted my head. He was not a character who was really interested in money. With a little shyness, Heinrich said, ¡°Hey, a cool guy has money and power.¡± ¡°¡­Cool guy?¡± ¡®But you¡¯re just a bean sprout, aren¡¯t you, my baby?¡¯ Regardless of my thoughts, the eleven-year-old spoke with great exultation. ¡°I will become a magician and make a lot of money and become very rich! Then.¡± Heinrich¡¯s cheeks turned red. The boy looked at another spot for no reason and said, as if hesitantly. ¡°¡­You will marry the best man.¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± ¡®Yes, okay, I understand. Isn¡¯t my baby really cool?¡¯ It¡¯s totally thumbs up. With a smile on my face, I listened vaguely and answered. ¡°Heinrich, let¡¯s go to sleep. I¡¯ll make you sleep.¡± ¡°Really?!¡± In an instant, the face of Heinrich, who had been talking like an adult a while ago, saying things like, ¡®A cool man has power,¡¯ brightened up like a dog going out for a walk. ¡®Fufu, it¡¯s cute.¡¯ ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go. Henrich.¡± *** In the deep night. I was lying on the bed next to Heinrich, patting him. It¡¯s been a long time since we slept together. The first time we slept together after becoming close was to somehow put Heinrich to sleep, who was having nightmares. ¡®I used to read children¡¯s books until he fell asleep.¡¯ Heinrich reacted bluntly, saying it was childish, but after hearing the stories of the protagonists who were always happy, he would fall asleep in peace. Heinrich¡ª ¡®Do you know?¡¯ That I deliberately only read happy endings to you. ¡®I want you to be happy.¡¯ I wanted to be your warmth, you who was abandoned by your father, and without your mother. My determination at that time, wishing for the happiness of Heinrich, was still there. Although I no longer read children¡¯s books, a sleep fairy sat on Heinrich¡¯s eyelashes with just a few pats. A white, youthful face was reflected in the moonlight. It was the face of the boy I loved. ¡°¡­Sister.¡± I whispered softly, so as not to wake him up. ¡°Well, I¡¯m here, Heinrich.¡± ¡°I have a question.¡± Whenever the boy whispered, his breath tickled me. ¡°Why are you being so nice to me¡­?¡± The answer was fixed. For every hundred times he asked, I said this hundreds of times. ¡°Yeah, because I like Heinrich!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Heinrich¡¯s earlobe turned slightly red. Fufu, cute. The next reaction was obvious. ¡®Huh, I know,¡¯ or something like that? Heinrich took my hand that was patting him and brought it to his lips. His light eyelashes were lowered as if he was embarrassed. And a soft voice came out. The sincerity of dealing with something very precious could be felt. ¡°I like you too.¡± His sister. ¡ªHis Annette. Whispering carefully, the blushing boy placed his forehead on the back of my hand. ¡°I like you a lot.¡± That clumsy confession wrapped around my heart. Heinrich fell asleep while holding my hand tightly and whispering that he liked me over and over again. ¡ªAs if it was his only happy ending. *** [I¡¯m surprised. You withdrew the adoption application as the little child wants.] ¡°Because she is a smart and clever girl.¡± [Annette is like that.] There was a strange sense of pride in the voice of Madam Mimosa who responded. That pride was annoying. To the extent that he wanted to strangle her neck. ¡®Doesn¡¯t it sound like I was being swayed by the girl¡¯s will?¡¯ Gerard drank heavily. Sparkle¨C At that moment, the jewel embedded in the cigarette case scattered a dazzling light. Sharp eyes filled with anger moved along with the light of the jewel. ¡°¡­¡­¡± That was the core of the soul. It was a sign of his contract with a wicked sorcerer. It was a kind of camouflage ¨C easily using such a precious thing in his daily life, and putting it in a case that didn¡¯t seem precious at all. Since the more he cherished it, the more the value of the item would be revealed. This operation had always been effective. So far, no one has paid any attention to this. It was the first time he was caught and in trouble. That it was a precious thing; and to a little girl who was like a rat. ¡®It¡¯s disgraceful.¡¯ He didn¡¯t want to admit it to the point of death, but¡­ he had no choice but to admit it. He was beaten by that girl. [Your aide, Avilos, did he make a smooth transaction with Annette and return?] ¡°Weren¡¯t you directly involved in the scene?¡± [Not at all. I left everything to Annette¡¯s autonomy.] ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡ªBut, Avilus came back in such a mess? ¡°It wasn¡¯t just the girl. The child with the special first level ability, called ¡®Sislin¡¯, was also there¡­! I was unlucky.¡± ¡°Stop making crappy excuses.¡± He didn¡¯t think it was because he was out of luck. Considering Annette¡¯s personality and intelligence, it was probably her will that Sislin was there. He was always a reliable aide, but in the end, he came back defeated. Strangely, Gerard wanted more. He was thirsty for the girl who screwed him up. To the extent that no matter how much alcohol he drank, his thirst did not subside. He was always drawn to ¡®deficiency¡¯. [Are you going to let her go like this?] ¡°Well, Mimosa. I¡¯ve never missed out on what I want.¡± This time, he was planning on grabbing her by the hair, dragging her. ¡°Now that you mention it, it¡¯s been three days.¡± [¡­Three days? Ah.] Madam Mimosa paused, then seemed to recall almost immediately. When he first applied for adoption, he said he would bring Annette to the Imperial Palace within three days. ¡°The plan has not changed, Madam. The child will come to the Imperial Palace this morning. That too¨C¡± Gerard¡¯s red eyes narrowed. ¡°At her own will.¡± [¡­¡­!] Gerard pulled a long cigarette out of the cigarette case, placed it between his lips, and bit down. Then, tak¡ª It was lit red. He whispered with a slightly incorrect pronunciation. ¡°I will send a document to the ¡®Forest¡¯ soon.¡± [What¡­?] ¡°You will know when you receive it. Show the documents to Annette first.¡± She would be dragged pitifully, like rabbits trapped in hunters¡¯ traps, like small insects struggling in spider webs. Into his grasp. Then¨C He would never let her go for the rest of his life. ¡®This disgrace will be planted in the child¡¯s belly.¡¯ Somehow, imagining such a thing made him happy; Gerard twisted the corners of his mouth. Although he had a handsome face, that smile looked somewhat perverse. ¡°Well.¡± Just then, the veins of his cursed body began to twist grotesquely. Gerard groaned lowly and looked at the back of his hand, and saw his bulging veins twitching. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sick and tired of it.¡± This body was slowly falling apart and it was painful all night long. If it was not a ¡®curse¡¯, then what else should he call it? To escape this curse, he needed that girl. Annette. The power of ¡®Exordium¡¯ was needed. After learning that, Gerard had been planning for quite some time to have Annette. ¨DProbably, much earlier than Annette thought. ¡°Am I going in here¡­?¡± She might not remember, but it was Gerard whom she held hands and entered the Forest with. On that sunny spring day, the little girl was crying incessantly. With a pitiful face full of despondency. Gerard¡¯s eyes narrowed softly. ¡°Unfortunately¡­ You will cry even more in the future.¡± He sang softly, chewing the tip of the cigarette. ¡°Avilus.¡± Avilus, who had been like a shadow, suddenly appeared from the darkness. ¡°Prepare the awakening chamber immediately to lock the girl in the basement of the North Palace. There is no setback to the plan.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Enough to scream day and night¡­ Make sure to create a stimulating environment.¡± Ah. What a pleasant command this was. The corners of Avilus¡¯ lips rose with joy. The henchman, whose sadism resembled Gerard¡¯s, was very pleased and disappeared like a shadow. *** ¡°Madam Mimosa, did you call?¡± One afternoon after lunchtime, Madam Mimosa called me. ¡®What? She has a colder face than usual.¡¯ It was kind of ominous. Madam Mimosa looked at me with her cold, golden eyes, and then suddenly¡ª she handed me the envelope that was on the desk. ¡°¡­¡­¡± I looked at it involuntarily and was startled and surprised. ¡®Gerard¡¯s seal¡­! It is a document from the imperial family.¡¯ ¡°Annette. It¡¯s not a document addressed to you, but you¡¯d better see it first.¡± Kkuk. It was not my document, but she wanted me to see it first? ¡°The First Prince requested so.¡± What was he up to? I was nervous and slowly pulled out the papers that were tucked inside. And; ¡°¡­¡­!¡± As soon as I checked the contents, I hardened a little in an instant. ¡®Ah, I knew it.¡¯ Soon after, the corners of my lips rose. ¡®You really don¡¯t deviate even an inch of my expectations when it comes to meanness, Prince.¡¯ In the document it was written: Ame: Well, well, well, whaddaya know, Gerard has a Plan B too XD I roughly read the next chapters as I was preparing the raws, so I know what¡¯s up, but as for you readers¡­ see ya in a few days¡¯ time!! Tassie: I¡¯m in the same boat as ya¡¯ll, I have no clue what¡¯s gonna happen XD So many questions were raised in this chapter!! Why is the prince so closely related to Annette? Where are her real parents? Why did the prince take her to the forest? And the main question; WHO IS THE ML????? Anyways, Gerad is still hot, he can drag me by my hair :kek: CH 49 Episode 49: Plan B (V) ¡¸Forest Special Level 1, Request for adoption of Heinrich. ¨DGerard von Axelferion¨D¡¹ ¡®He¡¯s trying to take Heinrich hostage.¡¯ It was somewhat expected. That was why, my mind and heart somewhat calmed down. He must have already heard about our friendship through Madam Mimosa, and he must have understood that I cherished Heinrich. Besides, Gerard told me this. [It has to be you. I¡¯m not interested in other kids.] I would remember that, Gerard knew. Under this circumstance, the reason for ordering Heinrich¡¯s adoption papers to be shown to me first was obvious. ¡®Either to intimidate or to ask for a deal.¡¯ [I will probably be the worst kind of father who abuses children.] He was asking if I wanted to send my beloved friend to the worst kind of father. And in the rulebook of the Forest, there was something like this. [If the adoptee withdraws his/her intention to adopt, re-adoption is not possible. (However, except for cases where the Tree side requests for adoption again.) ] He was asking me to voluntarily request for adoption. Or my friend would be abused. ¨CThat¡¯s right. ¡®Did the author focus only on his ¡®despicable¡¯ stats when creating this character?¡¯ I thought that Gerard had as much goodness as a rotten cabbage leaf, but at this level, it was time for a downward revaluation. ¡°Annette, you¡¯re not as upset as I thought.¡± At Madam Mimosa¡¯s words, I shook my head and raised it. Then I blinked and answered calmly as usual. ¡°I thought that something like this would happen.¡± ¡°¡­Huh, I see.¡± Perhaps my answer was interesting, as Madam Mimosa¡¯s golden eyes lit up. She spoke to me in her usual cold, polite voice. ¡°Annette, I know how much you care for Heinrich. But nothing is more important than your own future. You know that, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Send Heinrich, if you don¡¯t want to be adopted.¡± From Madam Mimosa¡¯s point of view, it seemed to be sincere advice. ¡°You can stay and look after Sislin.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Anyway, you have to make a choice.¡± Yes, I had to make a choice anyway. ¡®But my options aren¡¯t among the ones that damn bastard gave me.¡¯ Heinrich, or me ¨C there was no such option as to push either one of us into the abyss of misery. ¡°Shall we decide on Heinrich¡¯s adoption?¡± ¡°No, Madam.¡± I answered with my eyes wide open. ¡®I will save Heinrich, and I will save myself.¡¯ ¡°I am going to be adopted. Please make a ¡®request for adoption¡¯ to the Prince right now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± With this in mind, it was time to launch ¡®Plan B¡¯. *** Pak, pak, pak. Pak, pak. I was digging with a shovel as small as a baby mole¡¯s paw. Then I looked around, swish, swish- ¡®Good. There is no one around.¡¯ Then, bang bang! I dug into the ground ¡®Come on, come on. My treasure!¡¯ Whoo-hoo, was this how a corrupt wealthy man who buried billions of won in a garlic field felt? As the earth was dug little by little, it seemed you were one step closer to a hopeful future, and you¡¯d get very excited¡­ Was I too capitalistic at just the age of 12? At night like this, digging in a corner of the Forest Hall (the forest surrounding the mansion) with a shovel, like a villain trying to bury a body secretly¡ª I couldn¡¯t help it. ¡®I don¡¯t have much time.¡¯ As soon as I requested for re-adoption earlier, Madam Mimosa contacted Gerard through correspondence. And Heinrich¡¯s adoption withdrawal and my adoption were decided at the same time on the spot. ¡°The Prince said he would come to pick you up tomorrow morning, congratulations on your adoption, Annette.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Hmm, isn¡¯t it something to celebrate? But you¡¯re not in the mood.¡± Madam Mimosa seemed to feel a little bit sorry for me. ¡°As you know from experience, the Prince is a very scary person, Annette.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Never go against him. Good luck.¡± ¡®But I shall bet against it.¡¯ You might think I had already lost at the point of choosing between the two of the proposals presented by the other party. Because it meant that the other person¡¯s intentions were going to happen. But I had no intention of acting as Gerard intended. If my plan succeeded, tomorrow morning Gerrard would probably be a cotton candy-washed raccoon. Pak, pak, pak, pak, pak! ¡°Oh, it¡¯s out!¡± I pulled out the leather pouch that had been buried in the ground with a cry, ¡°Hooo-hah!¡± The pouch, which had been buried like a ripe radish, suddenly came out. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s heavy.¡± I opened the pouch with a pounding heart. It was filled with the treasures of the dwarves who had this forest as their home. From gold coins used in ancient times (because of the craftsmanship, the value was higher than current gold coins)¡ª Of course, swords made from dragon bones (the materials were rare, and thanks to the special crafting skills of the dwarves, warriors would be delighted)¡ª All kinds of jewelry and ornaments were mixed carelessly to the extent that they were just ¡®seasoning¡¯. ¡°Heh heh.¡± The mere sight of it made me proud, and I couldn¡¯t get rid of my capitalist smile. ¡®It¡¯s well hidden, my bakery funds!¡¯ As soon as I came to the Forest, what I did was to find the treasures that the dwarves who lived in this forest had gathered. ¡®In the original work, Sislin finds it.¡¯ There was a feeling that I intercepted it, but umm, I didn¡¯t even like Sislin at the time. Besides, in the original, Sislin found this and got beaten up. This was because the chihuahua, the hell of destruction, who could not miss the golden opportunity to torment Sislin, falsely accused him by saying ¡°Thief!¡±. ¡®These are treasures that he can¡¯t touch anyway, so it¡¯s good to use them as my future funds, right?¡¯ I smiled happily while holding the treasure bag. My Plan B has always been buried here. In the first place, I wasn¡¯t an ignorant person. If I had to leave the Forest one day, in a lonely state since I wasn¡¯t adopted, shouldn¡¯t I be prepared for such a future? I was pretty realistic, so I didn¡¯t simply say that I wanted to be a bakery owner. I made a detailed future plan, as much as I possibly could. Among them was ¡®financing¡¯. ¡°Some of them can only be cashed out as an adult, but¡­ Hmm, the rest is enough.¡± A treasure with a high value like a dragon sword would be difficult for a 12-year-old to turn into money, but ordinary gems were possible. It was enough for me to open a small bakery. My heart was pounding again. ¡°¡­I am finally moving forward to the future I have planned for a long time.¡± A step toward achieving a small and precious dream that I have dreamed of since my previous life. I was hit by a motorcycle in my previous life, and it was now my turn to live my life properly. ¡®I¡¯ll open a bakery that always smells warm and hands out bread to the hungry.¡¯ ¡®So that no one will ever go hungry in the town where my bakery is.¡¯ ¨CI¡¯ll put up a cute little signboard. If I have regular customers, I should always be kind to them. My heart was as sweet as castella while I was imagining those delightful thoughts. ¡®I¡¯m sure the boys will be happy too.¡¯ If I disappeared, Gerard¡¯s interest in the children would be cut off, and Sislin and Heinrich would have a happy ending, just as I had arranged for them. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s a bit depressing to part with Sislin and Heinrich, but¡­¡± I took a deep breath and then exhaled. ¡°It was going to happen one day.¡± However, it was only a little earlier than planned. Even if we parted after a year, it wouldn¡¯t be any less sad than now. Because parting would always be sad. Now that only a flower road remained in front of the children, it was the best time to leave. ¡®And shouldn¡¯t I also walk on my flower path?¡¯ All that¡¯s left was¨C ¡®How do I screw Gerard up and escape?¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡®Let¡¯s think about this.¡¯ Because there was still time until morning. *** Tuk, tuk¨C Water dripped into the sink. The boy¡¯s face was wet. However, Heinrich couldn¡¯t come to his senses no matter how cold the water he used to wash his face was. Because he overheard some deadly secret. This morning. Heinrich finally completed his invention. An ¡®Invisibility Cloak¡¯. It was in the form of a simple cloak, but it hid the person wearing it like a ghost. Wow, it was a first-class magic tool. The higher the crafting difficulty, the higher the level of the magic tool, but the fact that a boy who had just started making magic tools made a first-class magic tool¡ª It meant he was a ¡®genius¡¯. As Annette had believed, the boy became a genius. ¡°This is the final test. Just do this and I¡¯m done!¡± Heinrich was in the best mood until he walked around the hallway wearing an invisibility cloak for testing. But there were some voices that took Heinrich down from his high. It was a voice he heard by chance, leaking from the room where Madam Mimosa and Annette were. ¡°The Prince said he would come to pick you up tomorrow morning, congratulations on your adoption, Annette.¡± Clank¨C Heinrich¡¯s pale hands, as it touched the sink, filled with strength. ¡°Sister.¡± His low voice resounded in the bathroom. There was heartbreaking sadness and anger in that voice. He couldn¡¯t even breathe properly. In the mirror, the boy¡¯s wet eyes burned brightly. ¡°Leaving me¡­ Where are you going?¡± CH 50 They said she was going to be adopted by the prince. Secretly? ¡°Well, isn¡¯t it something to be congratulated on? But you¡¯re not in the mood.¡± The circumstances of the adoption were not known in detail, but one thing was certain, judging from the following words of Madam Mimosa. ¡°As you know from experience, the Prince is a very scary person. Annette.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Never go against him. Good luck.¡± ¡®Annette doesn¡¯t want to, but she¡¯s forced to go.¡¯ Why? His clever sister would find a way not to be adopted anyway. Annette didn¡¯t even seem to like the prince. The image of her cringing when the prince reached out towards her during socialization training was vivid. She seemed afraid. ¡°By force¡­¡± To go so forcibly, to leave the very next morning without even a word to him. She tried to sneak away. ¡®You promised to be with me on this birthday¡­¡¯ Feeling the sense of betrayal embedding in his whole body like a knife, Heinrich closed his eyes tightly. Suddenly, he remembered the first time he met the girl. ¡°Hello? You must be Heinrich.¡± Hello. It was just a very light greeting. That one greeting changed his life completely. The empty life of the boy was filled with the light of Annette. To lose that light was to lose the temperature of his heart. Being left alone again. He hated it enough to die. If she leaves, Heinrich would not be able to live properly. He would go crazy and he would spend the rest of his life missing Annette. ¡®You must have been thinking about it for a long time.¡¯ Not long ago, at the lake, Annette asked him a question about adoption. She must have already heard about adoption by then. She must have thought about how not to go because she was also reluctant to be adopted. ¡®But it either failed or it didn¡¯t go well.¡¯ In the previous conversation, Madam Mimosa spoke as if the adoption had been ¡®decided¡¯ on the spot. So, between the time the question was asked at the lake and the decision to adopt, that empty period. During then, Annette must have made an effort on her own. But in the end, for some reason, she had no choice but to leave secretly. ¡°¡­¡­¡± The clever boy, who grasped the situation in an instant, whispered while ruffling his wet silver hair. ¡°You can tell me, Sister.¡± Then he would have helped. ¨DHe told her, he would rip whoever that bothered her to shreds. It didn¡¯t matter who the opponent was. ¡°I will help you.¡± His eyes fluttered like a blizzard in the middle of winter. ¡°If the man you want to adopt disappears¡­ You don¡¯t have to go anywhere.¡± He touched the magic suppressor with a dangerous gesture. Tomorrow, Gerard would come to the Forest and return to the Imperial Palace, where he would be brutally killed in an unknown attack. No one would know why. The opponent would be a powerful wizard who could handle at least one human as if it was a fly, and he was going to use an ¡®invisibility¡¯ magic tool that was not registered in the Magic Tower. No one would know the truth until the boy got into the carriage and returned to the Forest. It was time to make a risky plan. ¡°You can¡¯t do that, Heinrich. That¡¯s bad!¡± A girl with lovely green eyes appeared in the mirror and scolded Heinrich. It was an imaginary Annette. Heinrich slowly reached out and whispered while stroking the girl¡¯s cold cheek. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Annette.¡± The beautiful face looking at her twisted sweetly like poisoned chocolate. ¡°I¡¯ll do the bad things behind your back, as I always do.¡± ¡®You are kind enough to keep loving me.¡¯ ¨CWithout knowing anything. *** ¡°One, two, three, four¡­ Let¡¯s see. Did I write everything?¡± I counted the colorful cards one by one in the warehouse. It was my letters to my children. ¡°Whew.¡± There were cards that I left for close children individually, and there were cards I left for all the children of the Forest. ¡®Because I don¡¯t have time to say goodbye.¡¯ Their sad hearts would be soothed by looking at these cards. Was it because I foresaw parting someday? I felt a little sad too, but I was still pretty calm. ¡®In the future, we will meet again as a wonderful baker and nobles of the Empire, my babies.¡¯ I left a bubble play set for Sasha and a cookie set for Julien. ¡®Shall I pack up now?¡¯ ¡°So¡­ ah?¡± My eyes lit up as I held the treasure bag. ¡°A strong financial treatment for a sad heart?!¡± It¡¯s healing. I sniffed and rubbed my nose like a drug dealer smelling high-quality drugs. Whoa, was this the taste of capitalism? It was good to look at. I stored the treasure first and started packing. ¡°Hmm, I have no choice but to throw away all the things in the dormitory¡­ I should pack my luggage as simply as possible.¡± If I packed my belongings in the dormitory where there were children around, anyone would see me as someone going for adoption tomorrow. I didn¡¯t want to cause any commotion. ¡®Besides, if there¡¯s an emergency, I have to run away with just the treasure.¡¯ When escaping, the simpler the luggage, the better. So all I needed to bring was my body, my treasure, and my treasure¡­ and another treasure. Then, suddenly, something caught my eye. It was a necklace with an empty locket hanging on it. ¡°Ummm, should I bring this too?¡± (Ame: lmao, actually, all these ¡®Ummm¡¯ are actually directly translated as ¡®Um¡¯, but I added extra letters to differentiate it from that red-haired wolf-like god ¡®Um¡¯ XD) Should I throw it away? ¡°Still, it¡¯s a necklace my mother gave me.¡± Of course, I didn¡¯t know if it was given to me by my real mother. Even though it was a locket, there was not a single picture hung inside. ¡®What¡¯s so difficult about putting a picture of your face so that the daughter you abandoned can find you later?¡¯ I was a little lonely. ¡°I must have not been loved by my mother even in this lifetime.¡± If she really wanted me to find her, she would have included a picture. The former orphanage director gave me one too. The necklace that was in the cradle when I was thrown away. ¨DMy mother was probably a poor person. The locket was made of wood, and the necklace looked very old as it had a broken leather strap. But it was a good thing; if it was an expensive necklace, the greedy orphanage director would have never given it to me. ¡°¡­¡­¡± I looked at the locket for a while and decided. ¡°Let¡¯s take it.¡± I felt rather sad every time I saw it, but I missed my mother whom I had never met. Still, it¡¯s the only trace of my family. I put the empty locket in the treasure bag. And like this, the simple packing was over. Now all that¡¯s left is¨C ¡®I¡¯ll have to decide how to escape.¡¯ I glanced at the multi-use teleporter on the table. It was a gift from Marquis Bizet. Hmmm, I decided on something immediately. ¡®Unconditionally, I must run away before arriving at the Imperial Palace!¡¯ Gerard knew of my ability. Thus, when I entered the palace, it was clear that I wouldn¡¯t be treated like a normal daughter of the imperial family. Even if he treats me like that on the outside because of public attention, he would try to ¡®awaken¡¯ me by doing all sorts of obscene things. Additionally, it was clear that strict surveillance would be made so that rumors about abuse of the adopted daughter did not leak out. ¡®Carriage¡­ Perhaps it would be easiest to run away from the carriage.¡¯ Gerard and I would ride in separate carriages, right? Before I was officially enlisted, I was strictly a commoner and he belonged to the imperial family. Because of their low status, commoners were discriminated against by the imperial court, but¡­ This was rather good. Anyway, I thought of two escape routes: 1. Teleport to Winston Street. 2. Use Julius. One time¡­ First of all, after sending a letter to the marquis via teleport, teleport to Winston Street from the carriage. Then run away. ¡®It¡¯s a multi-use teleport, so it will last at least twice, right?¡¯ ¡®Using teleport without knowing the Marquis knowing¨C¡¯ ¡°Impossible.¡± I murmured. This teleport was probably connected inside Winston Street. Even though I met that innocent aspiring father-in-law only once¡­ Somehow, it seemed that he would not refuse my earnest request. Just as small herbivores were sensitive to danger, conversely, they knew how to recognize people who viewed them favorably. It was the same sense as an injured stray cat recognizing and going to a nice butler like a ghost. ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡®But even if he says he will help me, if things go wrong¡­¡¯ Then, Marquis Winston would be in trouble. ¡°Please accept this flower.¡± That cute little chestnut gentleman might get hurt. I quietly fiddled with the invitation signed by Marquis Winston. This was the purest favor from an adult I had ever received. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± That¡¯s why it was precious. Tears were brought to my eyes when I read the contents of the invitation for the first time. ¡®I¡¯m still so grateful, therefore¡­¡¯ ¡®I can¡¯t put him in danger.¡¯ Option 1 scrapped. ¡®In the end, I couldn¡¯t accept Winston¡¯s invitation.¡¯ I was looking forward to it a lot, so it was sad and heartbreaking. ¡°I should also leave a message for the Marquis.¡± He even sponsored me with a kind heart and invited me, it¡¯s not right if I just disappeared. I wrote a simple letter. I had high expectations of meeting, but an ¡®urgent and personal situation¡¯ occurred and I had to leave the forest as soon as the morning dawned. I also wrote that I would not be in the Empire for a while. I even asked him to not look for me. This was intended to protect my sponsor, just in case he visited me, as Gerard might look at him suspiciously. At the end, I wrote the words I wanted to say the most. ¡¸Thank you for being so warm.¡¹ ¨CIt was sincere. Even though it was only for a while, I would never forget it¡­ I teleported the letter carefully. Would the letter go straight to Marquis Winston? ¡®Now, what¡¯s left is the second plan.¡¯ I fiddled with a ring that could allow me to wield a fairly useful magician. ¡°If it¡¯s Julius, he¡¯ll be able to get me out well.¡± Of course, Gerard would notice, and Julius could be in trouble, but¡ª ¡°It¡¯s none of my business, is it.¡± I thought a little coldly. ¡®Ah, surprisingly, I¡¯m the type of master who is cold-hearted to slaves.¡¯ Whoa, my viciousness. I rubbed my nose and laughed. In any case, since he was one of the best wizards in the Empire, he would not die helplessly even if he was caught. But I wouldn¡¯t know if he would have to run away like a lizard on fire. Of course, there were some more points to take into consideration. ¡®Like, stealing a good noble etiquette teacher from the kids.¡¯ It would be dangerous to help me escape and remain in the Forest. But my life was at stake, so I couldn¡¯t help it. ¡°Good. Then Julius¡ª¡± That was when I made up my mind and lifted the ring. Thud¨C! There was a dull noise right behind my back. ¡°¡­¡­?!¡± The moment I turned around in surprise, what I saw was a mysterious boy dressed like a phantom thief. A red ¡®diamond¡¯ from a poker card was drawn under the left eye of the boy in the white mask, his eyes and mouth curved into a smiling shape. He was sitting by the window as if he had fallen from the sky at some point. ¡°Shhhhh.¡± As I was about to make a sound, he came right up to my nose and covered my lips with his index finger. The boy in the mask smiled softly. ¡°I¡¯m here to make a deal, Annette.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± CH 51 ¡®What?! A sudden deal¡­? Who are you?¡¯ How did you get in here? Entering through the window meant breaking the barrier of the mansion. It was a barrier that couldn¡¯t be penetrated easily except for the nobles¡¯ carrier birds¡­ First of all, I could gather one piece of information. That the opponent¡¯s abilities were not average. ¡®But he¡¯s just a boy.¡¯ Maybe 15-years-old? Judging by his size and voice, he was just a boy of that age. I quickly searched through my brain, but there was no character like that among the characters I knew. Especially with that black hair, Sislin was the only major character with that. ¡®Is it a camouflage?¡¯ ¡°You have a lot of thoughts, Annette.¡± Huh¨C I blinked my pale green eyes. ¡®Oh, did you see that?¡¯ ¡°I will reveal my identity. I come from Circe Intelligence.¡± Circe Intelligence. I had heard of it. In the class. It was said that if you become a noble, you would have to deal with such illegal information dealers for the sake of social politics in the future. ¡®¡­Teacher, you didn¡¯t say I would be trading at 12-years-old.¡¯ ¡°Here is a business card.¡± The smiling mask (even though it was a mask, when the other person smiled or spoke, his dark eyes and mouth moved) held out a business card to me. It was quite a business attitude. ¡¸Circe Intelligence Guild. I will be your friend?¡¹ ¡®What¡¯s with this creepy heart?¡¯ ¡°I want you to know that the heart is the point.¡± Flinch. I looked at the mask that seemed to pierce through me. And I said with a little bit of caution. ¡°How did you know my name was Annette, and how did you know I needed help?¡± The mask grinned. ¡°There¡¯s nothing we don¡¯t know.¡± That sounded like a pretty good line from an ¡®intelligence guild member¡¯, but I thought. ¨CUmmm, that¡¯s too pretentious. By now, rumors of an unmarried prince adopting a daughter would be circulating in the Imperial Palace, and if he didn¡¯t know about such a big event, then he didn¡¯t deserve to be called an ¡®informer¡¯. Moreover, the existence of the Forest was known secretly among the nobles, so it was not difficult to connect with me. Besides, I recently went to socialization training. But the thing was, I needed help right now. And the fact that he broke the barrier of this Forest and came to exactly where I am was¡ª ¡®Honestly, I¡¯m surprised.¡¯ He seemed a little trustworthy. ¡®Shall I do some more testing?¡¯ ¡°Do you know what I need right now?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± The masked boy rubbed his chin and smiled. ¡°You want to escape. Tomorrow morning. The cleanest way to escape would be from the carriage going to the Imperial Palace.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± It¡¯s real, it¡¯s real! ¡°But I have nothing to offer you in return.¡± I cradled the ¡®Kokok¡¯ treasure bag in my arms. Just like a squirrel who kept almonds in both cheeks and chewed them up. (TL/N: ¡®Kokok¡¯ to suggest it¡¯s full of things hahaha.) ¡®If I use Julius, it¡¯s free!¡¯ He chuckled. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s not the treasure I¡¯m looking for.¡± ¡®How does he know it¡¯s a treasure¡­?¡¯ ¡°I can tell just by the sound noise. And I¡¯m good at smelling things.¡± He smiled, rounding his fingers. This guy, he was just saying he¡¯s crazy about money. ¡°After you grow up, do one thing I want. That is the price of this transaction.¡± ¡°¡­Hm.¡± I looked at him suspiciously. ¡®At first glance, it seems like a great deal.¡¯ He said it lightly that I didn¡¯t need to pay the price right now, and would only need to do one request when I grew up. ¡®If he¡¯s really saying that, then he¡¯s a pushover, right?¡¯ He offered a great favor¡­ It was just a free service right now. ¡®But that can¡¯t be true.¡¯ People like that wouldn¡¯t want money, instead he would ask for something that fit the bill once I grew up. ¡®Does he know that I am the heir?¡¯ ¡®I don¡¯t think so.¡¯ If he knew that I was the heir, he would ask me to use that ability right now, rather than wait for another time to use it. The need for ¡®resonance¡¯ to use the power of the sorcerer was not known to the people on the outside. ¡®It¡¯s not a bad opportunity.¡¯ ¡°Then can you do one more thing?¡± Of course, if I use Julius, it¡¯s free. However, there was a downside; if Julius disappeared from the Forest, the children¡¯s talented noble etiquette teacher would be gone, and I didn¡¯t want to take that away from them. Above all¨C ¡®There is a service that Julius cannot provide.¡¯ The boy behind the mask smirked and made an interesting expression. The area around the eyes was black, so I couldn¡¯t even see his real eye color, but I was surprised to register the ¡®interesting expression¡¯. ¡°Let¡¯s listen and decide?¡± ¡°There may be people who want to pursue me in the future. Please erase my traces from them. Thoroughly.¡± Most probably, Gerard and the people he hired. ¡®But it won¡¯t be long.¡¯ He would probably look for me like crazy for a while, but as with that kind of chase, if the opponent didn¡¯t show up after a while, he would be somewhat discouraged and the ¡®intensity of the chase¡¯ would be lowered. ¡®Besides, the place I¡¯m going to hide in is very, very far away.¡¯ The bakery¡¯s planned opening location was on an island, which could be considered a closed one, far from the Empire. So, if only the initial focused tracking was blocked, it would be worth enduring to some extent after that. ¡°It¡¯s not difficult.¡± The masked boy readily answered. ¡®As expected.¡¯ ¡°Instead, I can increase my request to two, right?¡± I shook my head resolutely at the two extended fingers. ¡°No! I¡¯ll pay for this with a treasure. Calculated by the duration of the blocking request.¡± ¡®I don¡¯t know what he will ask for, but I can¡¯t give him two wishes.¡¯ In order to reduce the uncertainty of the future, it was good to prevent as much as possible what money could prevent. In addition, if I trade with an informant, I could pay with treasures that I could encash only later as an adult. It meant that treasures that could not be used immediately could also be used like cash. It was beneficial to me in many ways. ¡°¡­Hmm, I see. I can¡¯t have two wishes.¡± The masked boy had a somewhat disappointed expression on his face (his eyes went down all the way, like a disappointed dog), but he nodded anyway. ¡°Good. Then it¡¯s a deal!¡± ¡°Great.¡± I shook hands with the phantom thief boy. Then silence. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± As I rolled my eyes, I asked, ¡°¨DNow, do we write a contract or something, or should we share blood?¡± ¡°What? Hahaha!¡± The masked boy grabbed his stomach and laughed. I scratched my cheek in embarrassment. ¡°There must be evidence of the contract¡­¡± ¡°That business card is proof.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± That crappy business card? I looked at the business card again. ¡¸Circe Intelligence Guild. I will be your friend¡ï¡¹ ¨DIt shamelessly turned into a star! ¡°The contract is valid from today. I¡¯ll come pick you up tomorrow morning. If you press ¡®it¡¯ on the carriage, there will be a way out.¡± Clink¨C Hearing something entering my treasure bag, I looked inside. Uhh, it¡¯s a magic tool the size of a fingernail, right? ¡°Hey there, Sir. What happens when I press this¨C¡± He disappeared!? When I raised my head, the phantom thief boy had disappeared. Only the old curtains in the warehouse were swaying leisurely against the large moonlit night sky. ¡®It was like a ghost.¡¯ I looked at the magic tool given to me by the information merchant within the moonlight. Gulp, the saliva passed. ¡°What happens when I press this?¡± The answer was soon known. *** ¡°Are you here, Master?¡± Circe¡¯s Intelligence base. The guild members bowed their heads sharply towards the boy in the phantom thief outfit who was walking around the dark interior. Each of the guild members¡¯ montages were full of individuality, and about 10 of their previous convictions looked funny, plus there was no sense of incongruity even if their faces were imprinted on wanted flyers right away. The head of intelligence who was leading them¡­ The master of Circe was very famous in the underworld under the name of ¡®Balrog¡¯. These nonsensical phrases spread like a myth in the underworld. The master of guns and the one who raised Circe¡¯s Intelligence into the Empire¡¯s greatest underworld guild. His identity was¡­ ¡°Hey, is my son sleeping well?¡± It was the father of a child. ¡°He fell into a good sleep.¡± ¡°The master showed off his beastly side, practiced shooting 10 rounds of bullets, ate his nom nom, and just fell asleep.¡± A guild member with a savage cut on his face gave a brief report, naturally ignoring the enormous gap between ¡®food¡¯ and ¡®10 rounds of bullets¡¯. ¡°Yes.¡± Balrog answered with satisfaction, took off his mask, and loosened his camouflage. Soon, innocent blond hair fluttered, and emerald green eyes were revealed. With Indian dimples attractively dented on his smiling cheeks. Suddenly, he grew taller and sat on a chair with his long legs¡­ It was Marquis Bizet Winston. Bizet smiled brightly and innocently as he gazed at the guild members. ¡°Oh, I have one thing to do when the day dawns.¡± ¡°What?¡± All of a sudden? It was a pretty rushed schedule, but the guild members who were familiar with the improvisation of their master only put on a face expressing, ¡®Master, again?!¡¯. Balrog was a single father raising his son alone after losing his wife, and he was kind and warm to children, but¡ª He was quite a scary man when he was a dark intelligence agent in the underworld. With a single finger, he could control men with such vicious appearances who were closer to monsters. The one-eyed man glanced towards the side. ¡®It looks like our master has started working again?¡¯ The muscular man on the other side quickly stroked his nose. ¡®Shut up and just listen.¡¯ ¡°That¡­ What is the request?¡± Bizet explained. ¡°I will help a girl escape tomorrow morning. From a carriage to the Imperial Palace.¡± ¡°¡­Master, is it possible that you are attacking the Prince¡¯s carriage?¡± Their master replied with a smile as pure as a flower. ¡°Very accurate.¡± ¡®F*ck.¡¯ At the same time, the men¡¯s already ferocious face became more terrifying. Now, they looked quite happy. It was the same for him, probably because it all felt like fate. He laid down early to sleep tonight, but the teleport connected to Annette was on the bedside table, so he received the letter right away. After reading Annette¡¯s letter, it took less than a minute to teleport and arrive in the Forest (of course, the barrier was neutralized by his own ability). The whole situation was like ¡®a special relationship between a father-in-law and a prospective daughter-in-law¡¯. ¨DActually, it was a simple coincidence. After completing all interpretations according to his wishes, Bizet opened his mouth, with eyes twinkling like the morning star. ¡°I have to raise that child well¡­¡± The guild members anticipated his next words. ¡®Is he going to eat her?¡¯ ¡®Is he trying to catch her?¡¯ With clenched fists, Bizet announced. ¡°I will definitely make her my daughter-in-law!!!¡± That¡¯s ri¨C?! The guild members¡¯ eyes shook as they looked at each other. However, they knew well to not question when there was a subtle madness in their master¡¯s eyes. ¡­Why¡­was he so overwhelmed by himself? ¡°Then, shall we prepare for battle?¡± Just then, a voice was heard from behind. ¡°Father.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± It was his son, Kyle, who had fallen asleep after practicing with the magic gun, shooting 10 rounds of bullets. Suddenly awake, the boy who appeared at the door said, shining green eyes under chestnut-like hair. ¡°Please lend me your mask tomorrow. I will disguise myself as Father and carry out the operation for you.¡± ¡°Kyle, that¡¯s-¡± Bizet made a slightly troubled face. But the chestnut head did not retreat. ¡°I personally¡­ want to save the lady.¡± Little 10-year-old Kyle made dangerous remarks about going to the scene of the slaughter and pointed out what he was most worried about. ¡°But, you¡­¡± He straightened up. ¡°You are very shy in front of Annette.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Twitch. Kyle blushed. ¡°¡­It¡¯s okay if I disguise myself with a mask. Though I¡¯m embarrassed of making eye contact with the lady.¡± ¡°Well, if you say so.¡± Bizet smiled and looked at the members of Circe. ¡°Everyone is okay with it, right?¡± Balrog¡¯s successor, Kyle, like other Winstons, has been on the field since the age of eight. Although he was a nervous and shy boy when handing out a flower to the lady, his skill was acceptable. In particular, he shot with a magic gun as well as his father. At his young age. In the next few years, he would become a master who surpasses Balrog. All the members of Circe, who had vicious-looking faces, nodded their heads happily. ¡°It will be fun to work with you.¡± ¡°It will be good to work together with the master for this operation, it¡¯s been a while. Hahaha!¡± ¡°Okay then.¡± Bizet cleared the situation, stroking his chin. ¡°I will go right away, as soon as the sun comes up.¡± *** And dawn broke in the deep blue sky. Dududududu¨C A magnificent procession of carriages approached the morning Forest, raising dust from afar. Gerard¡¯s red eyes that were looking out the car window were cold. CH 52 ¡°Annette, are you ready?¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± Annette looked fresh on the day of adoption. The girl, wearing a calm sky blue dress with a ribbon and a scarf, her blond hair braided, looked smart and lovely. Even if it was said that the unmarried prince fell in love with her and adopted her, it would be convincing. Madam Mimosa and Julius were seeing off such an Annette. I said, looking behind. ¡°Madam Mimosa, when the children wake up, be sure to give them the letters and gifts!¡± The Trees were still playing around in their dreamland. In the Forest, they made sure the Trees always got enough sleep so that they could grow. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. I already left your letters and presents at the bedside of the children while they were sleeping.¡± ¡°¡­Thanks for your concern, Madam.¡± I was relieved to hear that she had already given it to them. At that time, Julius, who was standing with a stern face as usual, said; ¡°It¡¯s a pity you¡¯re leaving like this, Annette.¡± It was not a sad look at all. ¡®You¡¯re not good at acting, Sir.¡¯ ¡°To become a member of the royal family, Annette is a model for the Trees, and is definitely the pride of the Forest.¡± ¡°Thank you, Sir.¡± ¡°But before you leave like this¡­ Do you have any gifts for me?¡± Julius showed his true intentions after an unworthy compliment and held out his hand in expectation. He was staring at the ¡®Pluto Ring¡¯. ¡®Ah, go away, Mister.¡¯ ¡®Do you have no conscience?¡¯ I smiled, raising my plump cheeks like a bright hamster. ¡°Sorry, I couldn¡¯t prepare things for the teachers!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Then I grabbed Julius¡¯ hand, shook it vigorously, and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be too sad. We will see each other often!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± Julius tightly closed his eyes at the words ¡®see each other often¡¯, like PTSD, where he had been summoned in childish panties, was coming. He could very well feel the girl¡¯s willingness to suck out his soul. I smiled brightly. ¡°Then shall we go now?¡± ¡®We can¡¯t make the prince wait, can we? He has a bad personality.¡¯ I turned around, took a deep breath and checked myself. ¡®First of all, the treasures¡­ Okay. I have them .¡¯ The luggage I was holding in my hand were all treasures, except for the clothes layered over them. ¡®Magic tool, check.¡¯ The magic tool the size of a fingernail, given by the phantom thief, had a ring, so I disguised it as a necklace pendant and hung it around my neck. Thanks to that, the magic tool was hidden in my dress. Now I was really ready. I just needed to leave. I said with my eyes shining; ¡°Madam Mimosa. Please make it work!¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± At my words, Madam Mimosa quietly glanced at Julius. Immediately, Julius briefly recited the starting words. Ji-ying¨C Boom! Then, right next to the door, a huge shield fell down. ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Julius opened the door with a puzzled expression. Even the person who was involved in implementing the magic shield didn¡¯t know why the shield would drop at that moment and broke. When the door opened, the reason was revealed. A boy with purple eyes appeared in great bewilderment while being locked in the shield. ¡°Heinrich¡­?¡± I called out to the boy in surprise. ¡°¡­Sister?¡± The boy who was trying to get on the carriage with Annette while watching the movements in the room next door was suddenly stuck in the shield like a trapped mouse. At that moment, Heinrich¡¯s gaze fell to the suitcase Annette was holding. And the outfit of a person who was clearly going to leave. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Heinrich¡¯s eyes popped, and at the same time, he clung to the shield and shouted urgently. ¡°No, Sister, what is this? ¡­Open it, tell them to put this away!!!¡± Squeeze, strength entered my hand. ¡®I¡¯m sorry, Heinrich.¡¯ *** The previous morning. I went to Madam Mimosa and suggested something. ¡°You want a shield?¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± I made a request for a shield to be put up where Heinrich and Sislin were just before my departure. Madam Mimosa asked curiously, ¡°Why do you want that?¡± ¡°I think the kids might do something unexpected.¡± ¡°¡­Did you tell the children that you were leaving?¡± ¡°No.¡± I shook my head. ¡°But these days, Sislin and Heinrich are a little¡ª¡± So to say, ¡°¨CSuspicious.¡± It was no coincidence that Sislin was hiding and watching when I was dealing with Avilos. He must have noticed something and followed me secretly. There was no reason to hide if he had simply happened to pass by the incinerator. ¡®If Sislin noticed¡­ I¡¯m sure it was the same for Heinrich.¡¯ Didn¡¯t I even ask Heinrich a suspicious question? A question about adoption. Until now, I had never asked Heinrich about such a thing. Heinrich, who was particularly sensitive to things pertaining to me, didn¡¯t seem to pass it on. And if that chihuahua decided to do something, he would create a real big mess. Heinrich, who said he would tear a bad person up like a pastry, might even try to tear Gerard apart. ¡®He¡¯s still 11 years old¡­ No matter how powerful magic he has, Gerard is too much to handle.¡¯ Little Heinrich couldn¡¯t predict how difficult the one and only prince¡¯s escort would be. He was a human who even signed a contract with the sorcerer¡¯s soul. We wouldn¡¯t know what power he would use. And Gerard wasn¡¯t a good man who would just keep quiet and let the human who attacked him go. Therefore, I must prevent Heinrich from acting dangerously. ¡®I¡¯m going to escape in the middle¡­ I just have to calm them down until I actually leave the forest.¡¯ If I disappeared, the children and Gerard would no longer have a connection. So the shield I asked for was a temporary safety device to protect the children from Gerard. However, giving another reason to Madam Mimosa was better than explaining this in detail. ¡°We have to leave a good impression on the prince without making any mistakes, isn¡¯t it Madam?¡± I smiled softly and continued. ¡°And if there¡¯s a commotion in the morning, the Forest¡¯s reputation in the social world would be very bad.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Eyes and ears often follow the imperial family.¡± It meant that if there was a disturbance in the Forest, the group who came with the prince would talk excitedly when they entered the social world. Fortunately, the madam figured it out right away. And she immediately promised. ¡°You are right. Let¡¯s prepare a shield.¡± ¡°Thank you, Madam!¡± *** ¡­But I didn¡¯t expect this to happen. Heinrich hiding in the next room, it was a situation I hadn¡¯t expected. I really hadn¡¯t expected I would meet him like this. ¡°Sister, you¡¯re lying aren¡¯t you? ¡­Why did you prepare this!!! Are you really trying to leave me?¡± Bang, bang. Heinrich, feeling frustrated, slammed the shield harshly with his fist. I couldn¡¯t stand it and took a step closer. ¡°Heinrich¡­ don¡¯t do it! Your hand will hurt.¡± ¡°You said that you would be with me on my birthday, that you would stay with me.¡± Tears filled his purple eyes, which had always been arrogant, and dripped down. ¡°Liar.¡± ¡®Heinrich, I¡¯m sorry.¡¯ I tried to calm my mind to the best of my ability. My chest hurt, but I knew. That this was the only way to save Heinrich and to survive myself. If I didn¡¯t do this, the children would be at the mercy of Gerard and would be crushed. ¡®It¡¯s for them.¡¯ ¡®And it¡¯s for you.¡¯ Like the fairy tale books with a happy ending that I once read at the boy¡¯s bedside¡­ By all means, it was a decision made with the hope that Heinrich would always live happily ever after. However, Heinrich, who could not understand the meaning of it, was desperately crying. ¡°Sister, it feels strange. If it goes on like this, it feels like we won¡¯t be seeing each other for a very long time.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Even at the moment of parting, his premonition about me was brutally correct. ¡°Sister, please¡­ please!!!¡± Heinrich¡¯s cheeks were wet with tears. The boy begged and trembled as if he was standing alone in a field in the middle of winter. ¡°Don¡¯t go.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I looked at the boy with trembling eyes, then turned my head away. And I said calmly and softly. ¡°Goodbye, Heinrich.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Goodbye, it was just a light greeting. That single word turned the light off from Heinrich¡¯s eyes. The boy collapsed helplessly like a doll with a broken string. Thud. Then Madam Mimosa closed the door. She said with a cold face; ¡°The Prince is waiting. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I was choked up and barely nodded my head. Then I slowly walked away. *** I breathed slowly. I had to meet Gerard soon, so I didn¡¯t have time to grieve. ¡®Now that it¡¯s like this, it¡¯s sure to succeed.¡¯ Because I made Heinrich sad. It had to be worth it. I steeled my resolve again and went out of the front door. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The outside sun was so strong that it pierced my eyes. As soon as I covered my eyes with my hand, I heard a cold, low voice in my ear. ¡°Good morning, Annette.¡± ¡ªIt was Gerard. ¡®Um, I can¡¯t see your face because of the sunlight.¡¯ I looked up at the gigantic tall man slowly. Black shoes, slender and strong legs, and beautiful silver-gray hair flowing down his wide chest. Past the tip of his sharp chin¡­ was the crooked red corners of his lips. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Soon our eyes met, and I stiffened. ¡®Has he completely lost it?¡¯ The red eyes looking at me were eerily filled with euphoria. ¡®Why do you look like that?¡¯ ¡®Are you not even acting anymore?¡¯ The thought ran through my mind for a moment, but I soon understood why. ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep last night. Excited to know that you are finally mine.¡± ¡ªHe couldn¡¯t hide his feelings. Which was full of anticipation. Without realizing it, I staggered backwards as his fingers in black gloves gripped my chin. ¡°Heuk.¡± ¡°Thank you for coming into this father¡¯s arms, Annette.¡± Goosebumps sprang up behind my back. ¡°Let¡¯s hug.¡± ¡°Oh, no¡­¡± Despite my refusal, Gerard knelt down on one knee and hugged me. Contrary to expectations, except for the faint smell of cigarettes, he smelled good. And this gave me even more goosebumps. He whispered in my ear. ¡°From now on, you will live in the Imperial Palace with me. Please use your talents to the fullest and become a pretty daughter who can help me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Night and day, I will take good care of you, Annette.¡± It was a voice deeply stained with longing and obsession. I thought blankly. ¡®If I run away, will he go crazy?¡¯ Ah, really¨C ¡®He¡¯ll certainly go crazy.¡¯ CH 53 He might not even know that I had already awakened, but being so obsessed with a non-awakened person¡­ Perhaps it was for two reasons. First, I proposed an ¡®unexpected negotiation¡¯ in the middle and his plan fell through. Obtaining something that was nearly lost will double the original pleasure. The second was¡ª ¡®It must mean that he is desperate enough to cling to an non-awakened talent.¡¯ I finished my calculations inside, and for the first time, I pretended to be meek. Gerard let me out of his arms only after taking several long breaths, as if he was barely holding back. ¡°Then shall we go now?!¡± ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± I lowered my eyebrows and tried to put on a gentle expression and smile. Then I greeted Madam Mimosa and Julius in turn. After exchanging soft farewells, I walked to the procession of black carriages. ¡®It¡¯s stretched to this point, Prince Axelferion¡¯s eyes.¡¯ But then Gerard said something unexpected. ¡°It must be unfamiliar since it¡¯s your first trip, so you can ride in the same carriage as me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡®What?! Who are you trying to ruin?¡¯ How am I supposed to use the magic tool if we ride the same carriage? ¡®No, why do you want to ride the same carriage as a commoner orphan?!¡¯ He wouldn¡¯t even think of me as a real daughter. I looked at Gerard in amazement for a moment, but I realized as I looked at those softly curving eyes. ¡®Ah¡­ He doesn¡¯t want to be separated from the spoils even for a second.¡¯ It must be the same feeling I had when I hugged the treasure bag all morning, grinning. With a calm face, I replied, ¡°Thank you, but it will cause a lot of strain for a commoner who is not formally registered to enter the palace in a carriage with the noble prince.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m an orphan with no roots, even when I enter the palace, people will say that I¡¯m acting against the law. In the future, I will stand out quite a bit in the Imperial Palace¡­¡± With a refreshing smile, I continued. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be a cause for commotion, being rebuked by the people from the beginning, Prince.¡± ¡®Commotion.¡¯ This was something that Gerard, who adopted me with bad intentions, would hate more than anyone else. Even now, people were gossipping about the reason for the unmarried prince to adopt a daughter, so he wouldn¡¯t want anything more to be said. Unsurprisingly, Gerard agreed with me. ¡°¡­You¡¯re right. Annette.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Then let us ride in separate carriages.¡± Whoa. I was relieved and quickly found a maid with an easy impression. He wasn¡¯t going to let me ride alone¡­ If I ride with a maid who was as soft as a pudding, it would be easier to escape¡ª ¡°I will serve you.¡± While I was thinking that, an old woman with a very strict and bitter impression appeared. The woman with brown hair and eyes, who had her hair tightly tied to the extent she might experience hair loss, had a cold, expressionless face. She looked exactly like an eagle. ¡®Damn, damn it.¡¯ ¡°Yes.¡± I smiled and calmly climbed into the carriage. ¡°I am Emmanuelle Borgier, who will be in charge of your education in the future.¡± ¡®Is it true that I will get a teacher again?¡¯ She looked even more merciless than the teachers of the Forest. Teacher Borgier looked at me with astute eyes, then she blinked. ¡°The first thing to do is to remove the stain of an orphan who grew up in the Forest.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It is difficult to learn the dignity of a high-quality imperial family member. In the future, I will not tolerate trickery or laziness.¡± To tell an orphan to take off their stain. If I had been a 12-year-old without a previous life, I would have been deeply hurt. That woman seemed to have said those words with the intention to hurt. ¡°Yes! Well then, thank you, Madam Borgier.¡± When I smiled brightly, not caring at all, I could see her startled. ¡®Bye bye, in any case.¡¯ But the question was how to shake off this stubborn eagle and escape¡­ It was a time when I was in deep contemplation. Neighhh! Finally, the loud cries of the horses were heard from the front, and the carriages began to move slowly from the front row. Then, Madam Borgier knocked on the carriage¡¯s door twice. Perhaps it was a signal, since our carriage in the back row also started moving slowly. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡®I¡¯m really leaving the Forest.¡¯ As I watched the moving scenery, I was sentimental. I was sad about parting, but I felt relieved because I had accomplished everything I wanted to achieve before leaving. It was bittersweet. Without me, the children would live well now. Still. ¡®¡­Sislin.¡¯ I really wanted to see his face for the last time. In the end, I couldn¡¯t even see his face and just went away. ¡®Are you still sleeping?¡¯ Koo¨Cook, without realizing it, I tightened the hand holding the bag and lowered my eyes. Right then; Bang¨C! Suddenly, there was a roar from the side of the mansion. ¡°¡­¡­?!¡± I hurriedly stuck to the rear window of the carriage. ¨CHuh? In the distance, a faint silhouette was running fiercely towards the carriage. ¡°Annette¨C!¡± ¡°Sislin!¡± The boy¡¯s forehead was covered in blood. *** It was still early in the morning. Sislin was looking out the window, checking the beds of Annette and Heinrich, who had not yet returned. The boy was wrapped up in a bizarre feeling. It was a foreboding that Heinrich¡¯s warning and the incident at the incinerator were intertwined. ¡°Sister is suspicious.¡± ¡°She asked me what I would do if she¡¯s adopted? Asking something like that¡­ It was her first time. Besides, wasn¡¯t she a bit suspicious at the dinner table earlier?¡± Of course, at the incinerator, Annette said it was all over, but¡­ ¡°So, it¡¯s all over now. I ended up staying in the Forest. How do you like it?¡± ¡®Is it really all over? Annette.¡¯ ¡®Then what does this dawn without you mean?¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­.¡± It was weird. And when the morning finally came after that strange dawn, Sislin finally confirmed the identity of that bizarre feeling. He first saw a procession of carriages bearing the imperial emblem rushing into the Forest. And then, bang¨C!!! Through the shield that completely imprisoned and blocked me. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Sislin¡¯s body moved before he understood the situation. Suddenly, an aura exploded from his body. Boom! However, the shield made a roaring noise and, rather, used its power to attack him. Red blood ran down his eyes and cheeks from the power that passed at his forehead. But the boy didn¡¯t care and compressed his power. Boom! The suppressors were shattered by the large amount of power, and the black force wobbled and shook like a tethered snake. That moment when it hit the limit. The shield shattered with a breaking sound that echoed through the sky. No one expected it. Even Julius, who made this shield himself. ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± In an instant, Sislin ran out like a beast with a broken leash. ¡°Annette¨C!¡± ¡°Sislin!¡± From the last row of carriages leaving the mansion, Annette appeared. ¡®Oh my god¡­!¡¯ Seeing Sislin¡¯s blood-stained face, Annette¡¯s face turned white as well. At that time, Madam Borgier, who was next to the girl, said; ¡°A special level 1 boy is following us. The escorts will prepare an attack to get the boy off. Get away from the window!¡± ¡°I-I beg your pardon?¡± ¡°We have prepared something for this situation as well.¡± It seemed that I was not the only one who expected that the boys would not let go. While I, surprised, looked out the window and checked the row in front, the escort wizard in the middle was concentrating on his magic power. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± I immediately ran to the back window. ¡°Sislin!¡± After chasing fiercely, Sislin exclaimed. ¡°Annette, I¡¯ll save you!¡± ¡°Oh, no¡­¡­! Go back, Sislin.¡± Suddenly, I saw the boy¡¯s expression change. ¡°I will leave the Forest and live happily ever after! ¡­Please go back!!!¡± Sislin asked me with a confused look on his face. ¡°If I go back, will Annette come back?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I did not answer. Because I couldn¡¯t lie to that desperate face. The silence enveloped the boy like a deep river. For the few seconds where no answer came, the boy fell into a burning silence and seemed to wither away. Then, bang!!! Menacing magic power was shot at Sislin, and the boy who was running fiercely fell and rolled. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­!¡± I clung to Teacher Borgier ¡°I will convince him! Please, ask the wizard to stop attacking!¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a threatening shot. If he keeps chasing us, the boy will get hurt.¡± I hurriedly looked at Sislin again. The boy rose. So much blood was shed from his arms and forehead that had been scraped on the road, but it was as if he didn¡¯t feel any pain. He ran as fast as he could again. His dark hair fluttered like waves, and the red eyes beneath it were still full of will. Running until his lungs burst, he recalled his first meeting with Annette. ¡°¡­Hey there?¡± ¡°My name is Annette.¡± He was nothing before he met her. In the cave where he hid, it was¨C It was the bottom of the world. Filled with fear, he lived only breathing in darkness. In a form that was neither human nor beast. Annette was the only person who smiled and reached out to him for the first time. ¡°I will never leave you alone in that dark place again.¡± Just as a life that hatched from an egg falls in love with the first thing it saw¡­ Sislin learned to love naturally. Not only that, but he learned a lot. How to make friends. How to live a humble life like a human being. We dreamed, blew bubbles together, and at some point they held hands and walked side by side. ¡°We¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s never break up and live happily ever after.¡± He made a promise not to part. He wanted to protect her. Just as the girl protected him, Sislin wanted to protect her. ¡ªTo dedicate his life to the rest of her life. ¡°Sislin, stop, go back!¡± But Annette was crying. ¡°Please, please¡­!!!¡± Finally, the boy understood the situation clearly. She was about to leave like a butterfly. She was going to bloom among the flowers. ¡°Annette¡­¡± Sislin stood tall. Suddenly, the hot tears that fell wet the boy¡¯s cheeks. The carriage moved away in an instant, and then disappeared around the corner. ¡°Annette.¡± The boy collapsed, choking up. I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off the window for a long time in the fast-moving carriage. I couldn¡¯t see Sislin, but the boy¡¯s last expression remained in my eyes. ¡®¡­Sislin, I¡¯m sorry.¡¯ But I truly believed. He would soon become a member of the imperial family, and he would no longer waste his life hating Heinrich. He would live happily in a noble place. It would be a great happiness for me to watch it from afar. Now the extra will leave. The main characters would forget me forever and have their own happy ending. We would never see each other again, but there was one thing I wished for. ¡°Don¡¯t get sick, don¡¯t cry, and be happy all the time.¡± A wind blew like a cry. ¡°You must be fine, guys.¡± CH 54 I wiped the tears from my reddened eyes and sat down. Actually, I almost cried. ¡®I¡¯m glad I held back my tears.¡¯ If I had cried, I was sure Madam Borgier would have found fault with me. I didn¡¯t expect the boys to cling so pitifully, but it was clear that I did what I had to do. Was that so? As if executing the only mission given to an extra, my mind soon became calm. ¡®I have to focus on my goals.¡¯ Because now I was hanging from the top of an apple tree. If I fell, I would be at least severely injured. ¡®How do I escape?¡¯ I looked at Madam Borgier¡¯s eyes and aimed for a suitable timing. In the meantime, the carriage had moved quite far from the Forest. ¡°Madam Borgier¡­ I want to go to the washroom, can you stop the carriage for a moment?¡± Cold brown eyes stared at me. ¡®Wow, eagle eyes!¡¯ ¡°When you become a member of the imperial family, you cannot go to the washroom at any time. When it comes to important meetings, like meetings with nobles, are you going to leave your seat at any time, impatiently?¡± But, madam, this was not a meeting with the nobles. ¡°When you leave your seat, you will never know what kind of words come and go in the battlefield called the Imperial Palace. You must always keep your mind straight. So¨C¡± Madam Borgier¡¯s lips twisted. ¡°Be patient.¡± I blinked. ¡®Ah, do I have to be dignified to become an imperial family member?¡¯ From the beginning, I felt the will to kill a 12-year-old child. If so- ¡°Yes! Madam Borgier! Thank you for the great teaching.¡± I said with excitement, and with my eyes lit up. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Then, on the contrary, Madam Borgier flinched again. She had eyes that wondered what on earth was I doing, ¡®This little girl, who had no sense of being damaged.¡¯ ¡°But I¡¯m getting motion sickness. Can I open the window, Madam?¡± ¡°¡­Do you have carriage sickness?¡± ¡°The Trees in the Forest usually walk. Other than during socialization training, I rarely ride a carriage. If there¡¯s an unexpected bump, Madam Borgier¡¯s dress might be a mess¡ª¡± ¡°Open it right now.¡± This time, when I threatened that I would lose control, she quickly opened the carriage window. I leaned over and looked out of the window to get some fresh air. Madam Borgier didn¡¯t seem to want to check what I had eaten this morning, so she let me look out the window for a while. Thus, after a while¨C ¡°Ah¡­! What to do! My scarf flew out the window!¡± ¡°Forget about that cheap scarf.¡± When I allowed my scarf to fly away and made a fuss, Madam Borgier calmly responded. ¡®Eagle indeed, I knew she wouldn¡¯t even blink an eye.¡¯ But what about this? ¡°But, the embroidery on that scarf is a symbol of the Tree? It is supposed to be a gift to my parents later as a souvenir. For the Prince!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°If I lose it, the Prince might be angry¡­¡± Madam Borgier¡¯s complexion changed. Hastily, she knocked on the carriage to get it to stop. Bang! Then opened the door and said to me: ¡°Sit here and wait. I¡¯ll get you the scarf!¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± I answered with my eyes shining like a naive model student. And¨C Woo-hoo, I rubbed my nose and smiled. ¡®She¡¯s deceived. Shall I jump now?¡¯ There wasn¡¯t much time. The scarf flew a bit far, but she would pick it up soon. ¡®So let¡¯s hurry.¡¯ I pulled out the necklace and took out the magic tool that I hung as a substitute for the pendant. Which was what the unidentified phantom thief boy gave me. ¡°The contract is valid from today. I¡¯ll come pick you up tomorrow morning. Press ¡®it¡¯ on the carriage and you¡¯ll have a way out.¡± ¡®Press this?¡¯ ¡®Will the phantom thief really come to pick me up?¡¯ I glanced out the window, but saw no one at all. He gave me a business card and told me about an appointment, so I suddenly thought that there was nothing I could do about it even if he didn¡¯t come to pick me up. ¡®Doesn¡¯t it sound like a scammer?¡¯ He was wearing a mask, but somehow his impression seemed dirty. His true form might be an old man who looked like a troll¡­ But first of all, a promise was a promise. Gulp¡ª I swallowed my saliva, closed my eyes, and pressed the magic tool with a prayerful heart. Click. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± And it was quiet everywhere. Nothing happened. ¡ªWas I deceived? ¡°Ppi-pi-pi! (As expected, I was fooled!).¡± I stomped my feet. ¡°Ppi-pi? (But, what does this mean?)¡± As I looked around, the tiny ball of cotton reflected in the carriage window looked at me. Black eyes, a pink nose, dainty, trifling ears, fluffy body. ¡°Ppi?! (Huh?!)¡± ¨DI became a chinchilla! The baby chinchilla flopped down in the seat with its thick buttocks. ¡°Ppi-ppi (there is no such thing as this¡­).¡± ¡®Hehehehe, I have such a trivial body.¡¯ I despaired for a moment, but soon realized a shocking fact. ¡®Now that I¡¯m small, I can¡¯t take the treasure bag, right?¡¯ When I looked to the side, surprise! I saw the bag had become as small as me. In my mind, I raised the evaluation of the phantom thief boy to the next level. Such a detail! It was so nice that I wanted to give him a kiss right away. I twitched my butt(I couldn¡¯t help it with every step) and walked over to grab the treasure. And smiled happily. ¡°Ppi (Fufu, my treasure¡­).¡± ¡®This is not the time. Shall I get out of here?¡¯ I hung the treasure bag around my neck and looked around diligently. Then I saw a small hole under the carriage. ¡®There!¡¯ It was a necessary hole by design, and a human wouldn¡¯t be affected by that hole, but a chinchilla would be able to get through it. ¡®Let¡¯s go.¡¯ Whiik, tuck, slink, twitch. Chop! ¡®Uh, huh?¡¯ I am stuck¡­ My body¡¯s chubby and it¡¯s stuck! ¡°Pppiiiii!¡± I cried hard and pounded. Bang! The chinchilla, who managed to pull itself out, ran hard under the carriage. *** ¡°¡­Here it is.¡± Madam Borgier picked up the scarf. She frowned. ¡°Such a clumsy orphan. When we return, she¡¯ll need rigorous education. It can¡¯t be a stain on my career.¡± At that moment, a hand, holding a bloody magic gun, popped out over her head. And then there was a clear and beautiful sound. ¡ªBang! Madam Borgier, who had been hit on the top of her head, fell sideways. ¡°Move her.¡± ¡°Shhhh, move gently.¡± After a while. The grass shook and Madam Borgier appeared. To be precise, it was a man wearing the madam¡¯s dress and a sloppy wig. The back zipper didn¡¯t go up, so the man¡¯s hideous back was exposed. This muscular man, with golden teeth flashing under his lips, pretended to be Madam Borgier, and calmly climbed into the carriage. Then, bang bang! He knocked on the door. Whoosh! Without knowing anything, the carriage started moving. But soon a carriage in the middle row stopped, and a wizard with good sense got off, feeling something was strange. He was Gerard¡¯s escort wizard, the man who attacked Sislin earlier. The wizard stopped the last carriage, opened the door and checked inside. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± And he hardened. It was because Madam Borgier¡¯s size was seriously blown up. ¡°What, what is this lump?!¡± The muscular man, wearing a suspicious mask and stroking his shaggy chin, asked, ¡°Is my disguise not working?¡± ¡°¡­You think that will work!!!¡± Bang bang! The magician was thrown backwards by the sudden shot of the grinning man. It was then that Gerard¡¯s carriage stopped. ¡°What¡¯s going on!¡± As soon as the escort who got off hastily asked for a horse, there was the sound of horse hooves around the quiet surroundings, and men gathered like a pack of dogs. Seeing the red knots and oddly patterned masks hanging from the black horses¡¯ manes, the guards¡¯ faces turned pale. ¡°Balrog has appeared!!! ¡­It¡¯s Circe¡¯s attack! Ah!¡± The man who had been shouting turned quickly. Bang! Bang! The sound of gunshots being fired lightly was heard below the sky. ¡°Stop them!¡± Everyone tried to block them, but the men of Circe swept through them like waves. Meanwhile; Thunk, slink, slip. There was a brave chinchilla crossing the chaos. ¡®Heuk-heuk, I can¡¯t run fast because my legs are short. Besides, the gun sounds are too loud. It¡¯s scary, it¡¯s scary!¡¯ Whoong! At that moment, the sound of a strong black horse was heard nearby. A boy in a mask with trump diamonds studded under his eyes was running towards her on the horse. ¡°Pppiii, pi (phantom thief boy)!¡± I, as a chinchilla, warmly waved my little paw. The boy grabbed the reins of the running horse in one hand and reached for me with a flexible tilt of his upper body. Then he curved his hand like a scoop, whoosh¡ª and he caught me naturally. Like ice cream from a store with 31 flavors, I was contained in a ¡®circle¡¯, ¡®Chinchilla Flavor¡¯. ¡°Piii (Nice to meet you!)¡± The masked boy grinned, keeping eye level with the chinchilla on his palm. ¡°Hello, cutie.¡± ¡®Hello, Annette.¡¯ The little Annette was lovely, and the boy smiled. I was overjoyed, and as a chinchilla, my ear twitched. And I exclaimed through my little front teeth. ¡°Pppiiii (Let¡¯s go¡­!)¡± The boy tucked me into his front pocket and rode his horse briskly. Circe, who destroyed the prince¡¯s procession in an instant, followed Balrog (whom his son disguised as) and escaped the scene like a low tide. The sound of cheerful laughter and horseshoes reverberated across the sky. ¡¾The Obsessive Male Leads Want To Eat Me Alive, END of Volume 1.¡¿ CH 55 After the sweeping attack of Circe, the ruined imperial carriages had the atmosphere of a funeral parlor. Gerard¡¯s aide, Avilus Theses, who quickly sent a crow to look around, spoke up. ¡°¡­She has completely vanished, Prince.¡± Gerard burst out in anger. ¡°Ahhhhhhh!¡± He became a little crazy, such that he couldn¡¯t take into account the dignity of the prince or his usual image. It was finally within his reach. He thought he had put that useful, stupid girl into his grasp. But she screwed him up like this? Due to repeated failures, Gerard was in a highly poisoned state. Gerard, with blood on his forehead, gave an order with his eyes reddened eerily. ¡°Gather the quick-footed ones in the army and make a group to track Annette. From the beginning to the end of every continent, to the depths of the sea, to the jaws that go to hell, you must find and bring that girl before me.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°And mobilize the rest of the troops to annihilate ¡®Circe¡¯! Make every single one of them corpses and bring them to me!¡± ¡°I will keep that in mind, Prince!¡± The sound of Gerard grinding his teeth could be heard. ¡°These useless escort garbage shall be dealt with here.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± Before he even finished speaking, Gerard¡¯s personal troops mercilessly slaughtered the imperial guards who participated in this procession. Their blood spurted like a fountain and their heads fell like fallen leaves. With red eyes occupied by madness, Gerard shouted to the rest. ¡°Remember, everyone! If you fail, you will end up like these pieces of meat!¡± ¡°Yes! Prince!¡± But at this time, Gerard did not know. Until his numerous military forces were turned into pieces of meat due to the many failures, and the newly transfused forces were wasted. They would never even find the name ¡®Circe¡¯. Like a lie, there would not be a single person who had seen Circe and Annette since that day. It was literally . ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°Annette, where do you want to go?¡± Annette, who fortunately returned to a human from a chinchilla, was hugging the phantom thief boy¡¯s waist while riding his horse. Dageudak, dageudak¡ª ¡°Bayonaire!¡± I shouted loudly again, fearing that my voice would be blown backwards and could not be heard. Hence, my voice sounded a little excited. ¡°Please go to Bayonaire Island!¡± ¡°Bayonaire Island¡­?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± I answered, sniffing and smelling the phantom thief boy¡¯s back. ¡®Oh, without me realizing!¡¯ ¡®Chinchilla¡¯s habit is still¡­!¡¯ ¡®But this sweet body scent is somehow familiar. Where did I smell it before?¡¯ I tilted my head a little, but I couldn¡¯t think of anything. I quickly put on a smile and asked again. ¡°I will make a fresh start on that island! Can you take me there right away?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The phantom thief boy grabbed the reins with only one hand and looked back at me. Towards the girl, the corners of his darkened lips rose nicely. ¡°According to the lady¡¯s will.¡± Dageudak, dageudak! ¡°Ha!¡± As the boy grabbed the reins and spurred, the muscular black horse roared out loud and gleefully sprinted across the ground. The sun was shining brightly, illuminating their path. Now¡ª It was a good season for a new life to bloom. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ Bayonaire Island. One of the many islands belonging to the Bortage Territory of the Western Continent, boasting a beautiful natural environment and sunny weather. It wasn¡¯t a tourist attraction that attracted everyone¡¯s attention, but it was quiet and cozy, beautiful like a flower blooming in the sun, and a good place to live. The personality of the island¡¯s inhabitants was cheerful and friendly. In such a place¡ª was still open today. ¡°Okay, business starts today!¡± The windows that were made of logs were wide open. ¡°Oh, my!¡± The smell of croissants baking inside made the already lined-up guests¡¯ eyes sparkle. The bakery owner lady neatly tied her sweet-looking blonde hair and greeted the guests with a lovely smile. ¡°Welcome back. Mr. Genji! You¡¯re a little late today?¡± Genji, a farmer with a wheat beard, was already salivating. ¡°Hahaha! I have to be able to withstand the smell of bread as I pass by. What kind of bread would you recommend today?¡± ¡°All of our bakery breads are delicious. But today, try potato soup with sweet and savory whole wheat sourdough bread!¡± On one side, there was a customer who was already dipping bread into the potato soup while saying, ¡°Wow!¡± The slightly sour and savory bread was soaked in the soft and thick potato soup. Genji¡¯s eyes twinkled. ¡°Oh! Give me one of that set too!¡± ¡°Fufu, the date palm tart is also delicious today!¡± ¡°I¡¯d like my dessert wrapped, please. It¡¯s perfect for my daughter!¡± ¡°Yes~¡± The bakery owner responded cheerfully and finished wrapping the package. Then, suddenly from the inside, a baker with red hair and golden eyes stuck out his head. ¡°Glutinous rice!¡± He was wearing an apron with a fluffy bread design printed on it. ¡°The potato soup is almost gone.¡± ¡°Ah, Um. Can¡¯t you make more?¡± ¡°Soup needs to be simmered for a long time to become a food that goes well with bread. As you know, if it is not for my excellent fire control and devotion, it will not taste good! I can¡¯t make it that fast.¡± ¡°¡ªThat¡¯s right.¡± As if she was apologetic, the bakery owner smiled with her eyebrows lowered at the customer. ¡°Now the morning set is sold out!¡± ¡°Oh my!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe it!¡± Guests brought their hands to their foreheads, looking like a horde of zombies who wanted bread and potato soup. But that¡¯s what popular bakeries are like. Morning sets run out 30 minutes after opening. The small bakery owner comforted the customers and recommended other breads. The customers vowed, ¡®Tomorrow, I must come earlier!¡¯ A small bakery made up of logs had the sign ¡® is still in business today!¡¯ However, this bakery was not here from the beginning. The bakery¡¯s owner, Miss Annette, first appeared on the island of Bayonaire when she was 12 years old. The girl bought a small house on the hill, fixed it by herself, and settled there. And she walked around the village, smelling like sweet bread all the time. The villagers slowly became curious. ¡®Why does it always smell like delicious bread over there?¡¯ The answer was soon to be found. A kind-hearted girl often distributed bread to her neighbors. Sometimes the bread was delicious, and sometimes it wasn¡¯t; but if what was eaten was something not delicious, the girl observed people¡¯s expressions and would touch her chin, saying, ¡°Oh! I failed.¡± At that time, the villagers would look closely to see if the girl had poisoned the bread. Fortunately, no one was poisoned. As time passed, the frequency of ¡°I failed!¡± decreased rapidly. That was when word of mouth began to spread that the bread the girl occasionally gave out was very delicious. When the villagers began to drool with twinkling eyes whenever the girl passed by¡­ This opened successfully. The secret to its popularity was not just in the taste of the bread, but a few years ago, the bakery owner lady also started to become famous. The little girl who walked around the village grew taller and her eyes shone brightly, she grew into a pretty beautiful girl. Her long blonde hair shone softly as if stardust had fallen, and her pale green eyes were as beautiful as the essence of spring. When she smiled, a bright light came from all around her. There was even a joke that the young people of Bayonaire Island adored the owner of the bakery and bought so much bread, and that they all gained 5 kg each. However, the muscular assistant baker resembling a red wolf always growled next to her, so they couldn¡¯t easily approach her. This young man was also one of her regulars. Ding ding¡ª The door opened and a tall man entered. He was a young man who seemed to have just turned twenty. However, the skinny body had a well-established skeleton, so it seemed that a very strong body was hidden under ordinary clothes. Of course, in the eyes of Annette (an obsessive baker), he just looked like a big fish that always buys bread. ¡®What? He¡¯s here again.¡¯ I looked at the man carefully. ¡®Whoa, VIP regulars at my bakery¡­!¡¯ ¡°Welcome!¡± ¡°Ah, hello¡­¡± He wore square glasses under his curly brown hair and looked like a nerd. ¡®What is he doing?¡¯ The man appeared 6 months ago. opened at 10 o¡¯clock and closed at 3 o¡¯clock at the latest (because the bread would run out), but he would come after 2 o¡¯clock. It was a time when customers were gone and the store was idle. After the first visit, he always came at the same time and bought the leftover bread. ¡®Hmm, he comes here 3-4 times a week and buys a lot of bread, so the estimated sales are about 100,000 gold a week.¡¯ He was a man who spent 400,000 gold a month for bread. ¡®At this point, I should take care of him.¡¯ The sincere self-employed girl quickly approached the man and said; ¡°Can I recommend you some bread today?¡± Crash! The nerdish man who was choosing the bread was visibly surprised, his shoulders shaking. I blinked for a moment in embarrassment, he looked as if something radioactive had approached, but when I looked closely, his white cheeks and earlobes were peach red. ¡®Ah, the shy type?¡¯ ¡®He hasn¡¯t initiated a conversation with me within these six months.¡¯ He always came like a ghost and faithfully bought only bread. I sometimes wondered if he was a real ghost, but as he pulled all the money out of his wallet, it was obvious he was human. ¡°Today, the date palm tart is deliciously baked. Since you are a regular customer, I will specially give you a tart to taste. It¡¯s free!¡± It was a lie. Since it¡¯s not selling well today, please take this and buy it. That was my intention. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The man carefully took the tart, avoiding my gaze. Then he opened his plump lips and took a bite (I could barely open my mouth wide to inquire about the taste, but eventually I asked cautiously). And he answered slowly. ¡°¡­It¡¯s surprisingly delicious.¡± ¡®What? The way he talks¡­¡¯ I thought he was just a young man from the neighborhood, but his accent and pronunciation were surprisingly noble and wonderful. The young man looked at me with a touched expression, and then smiled brightly with a really handsome face. ¡°Thank you very much¡­ for your kindness. Lady.¡± Beneath those vivid green eyes, Indian dimples dented his face. Ame: As promised, we¡¯re back! I wasn¡¯t expecting this time-skip, but I¡¯m not complaining? It just means she¡¯ll reunite with those two faster¡­ right¡­? (Future Ame is snorting at how naive Past Ame was) Lmao @ Um though, he laughed at Annette¡¯s dreams but now here he is, master assistant baker! Tassie: ¡­I just want to see my baby Sislin again ;-; I guess I¡¯ll just settle for Gerard *Licks Screen* CH 56 ¡®¡­Oh, he looks like a pure stag with that smile!¡¯ Was it the face of an innocent handsome man? Although he was covered by glasses and shyness, he had a very neat and tidy appearance. When I stared at his face, the man quickly averted his gaze awkwardly and raised his glasses. ¡®Do you happen to have a disease that kills you when our eyes meet?¡¯ ¡°I¡­ Then, I will buy all the remaining tarts. Please wrap it.¡± ¡°Oh, you would like to buy all of them? Yes, customer.¡± I grinned and walked to the cashier, carrying a tray of tarts. Then I carefully wrapped the pretty tarts topped with luscious red dates and shouted into the kitchen. ¡°Today¡¯s bread is all sold out! is closed!¡± Red hair popped out of the kitchen. ¡°What? You managed to sell all of the tasteless date¡ª¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± When my eyes shifted and blinked to point to the ¡®hogu¡¯ guest, the red wolf shut his mouth and went inside. (TL/N: ?? ¨C a slang for ¡®a stupid person who is easy to be deceived by others.¡¯) ¡®Heuk heuk, did you hear that?¡¯ I glanced at him slightly, but he was only staring at the interior blankly. ¡®Wow, that¡¯s good.¡¯ ¡°The package is ready, customer!¡± The man strode over to the cash register with his long legs and took the packet. In case he had heard it, let¡¯s sacrifice the bread I left out to eat. ¡®I can¡¯t lose my precious regulars!¡¯ I rustled from below, took out a bag of bread, and held it out casually. ¡°This is for free!¡± No. 1 popular menu. It was a long, crispy baked baguette. ¡°You seemed to like it the last time, so I left it out in advance! I¡¯d like to give this to you¡­¡± I made a golden remark with a smile on my face. ¡®Fufu, regular customers are weak to this kind of service.¡¯ ¡°¡­Ah¡­¡± Unsurprisingly, the naive man looked genuinely touched for a moment. He received the bag of bread respectfully and carefully, in the posture of receiving an ancient artifact from the emperor. His large figure, with a baguette draped over his broad shoulders, looked a little cute. He was fiddling with the bread with his thick, long, white fingers. ¡®Yes? What are you hesitating about?¡¯ While I was in doubt¡ª The young man¡¯s sharp rib cage shook violently at the neckline. (TL/N: in other words, he¡¯s breathing heavily, lmao.) Then, as if he had made up his mind, he pulled something out of his coat and held it out to me. ¡°¡­¡­?¡± My eyes turned towards him. It was chocolate and white flowers. A cute pink ribbon was hung from the chocolate, and the white flowers were as clean and pretty as small snowflakes during the first snow. ¡°¡­Please accept this.¡± The man¡¯s large hand was trembling slightly. ¡°Thank you?¡± I accepted it in surprise. ¡°Then.¡± He smiled a little cutely. He looked like he had done something. Then he strode out of the bakery with his long legs. I stared blankly at his retreating back. ¡°That person¡­¡± I muttered. ¡°Why did he just go without paying¡­?¡± ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°Glutinous rice! What did that glasses guy give you?¡± Um immediately came to me and checked what the customer had given me. I waved the chocolate and flowers. ¡°Chocolate and white flowers, uhmm.¡± Um¡¯s dark eyebrows swung upward. It was a look of exasperation. ¡°Hey, that glasses guy. It¡¯s really obvious.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s really obvious¡­¡± I rubbed my nose and smiled happily. ¡°He must be someone who is really serious about bread.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?!¡± I raised my index finger like a keen detective and spoke. ¡°I secretly kept a baguette and gave it to him, so he gave me something like this in return, right? I¡¯m sure it means to take care of it next time. He tends to come late, so he always misses our bakery¡¯s most popular menu item, the ¡®Baguette¡¯!¡± How disappointed must he have been every day? ¡°So he¡¯s serious enough to bribe me, the bakery owner. Well, it¡¯s good to be comrades¡ª¡± ¡°Glutinous rice, you are really¡­¡± Um looked at me in astonishment for a moment, then shook his head. ¡°Poor, poor glasses guy¡­ Why do you have to be this sort of bread lover?¡± Ugh, why was he feeling sorry for him? Wouldn¡¯t it be good for regulars if the owner of the bakery was a bread lover? It was when I was tilting my head. ¡°Pfft.¡± Sordi, who was elegantly drinking black tea and eating freshly baked madeleines on one side, laughed. ¡°What did I do wrong, Sordi?¡± The handsome lily said, as always, with a bright smile on his face. ¡°No way. I thought my baby was cute today.¡± ¡®¡­For those with severe bean pods, yes.¡¯ Even though I became an adult, it was understandable that I was still called ¡®baby¡¯. When I once protested, he gave a fairly reasonable answer, ¡°I am thousands of years old, aren¡¯t you a child compared to me?¡± and I was immediately convinced. He had lived so long that he couldn¡¯t count his age properly, so he roughly lumped together as a thousands of years old. ¡°Then let¡¯s turn off the lights and wrap up.¡± I hummed and cleared the empty shelf. ¡®I¡¯m so proud.¡¯ When all the bread was sold out, the bakery owner¡¯s heart was at peace as if she ate a lot of hot and tender stew. I grabbed a small watering can and went outside. Then, I watered the flower bed full of colorful flowers next to the spot where a wooden signpost that reads in crooked writing was erected. The pretty, dainty flowers drank water and sunshine. ¡°Ah, today is good too¡ª¡± Life on Bayonaire Island was more satisfying than I expected. ¡®It¡¯s a godsend to have chosen this island.¡¯ The island of Bayonaire appeared in the original, and was mentioned several times in an episode where a swindler embezzled imperial funds and ran away. ¡°I will definitely go to Bayonaire Island. If I go there, no one will find me.¡± Indeed. In addition, he would sometimes describe how wonderful the island¡¯s natural environment was, how marvelous the dazzling sunlight and the sea was, and I fell in love with it while reading. ¡®It¡¯s a nicer island than I imagined.¡¯ As mentioned in the original, really, there was no one who found me when I came here. Gerard must have dispatched hundreds of pursuers. Of course, ¡®Circe¡¯s Phantom Thief Boy¡¯ must have done a great job by diligently erasing my traces and cutting off the pursuit. ¡®I thought he¡¯d just help me lightly.¡¯ During that time, he came to the island several times and took care of me. Thank you very much. It was the same when I first settled here. ¡°I¡¯ll just use the name Annette.¡± ¡°¡­Changing your name will make it easier to evade the chase.¡± ¡°Changing one¡¯s name and hiding is like a criminal¡¯s life. Whenever other people call me by a different name, I will feel unhappy because I¡¯ll remember that I am living in hiding.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± The thoughtful phantom thief boy said, wrapping his hand around his cheek. ¡°I will definitely cut off your pursuit. So have a happy new start here. Understand?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the name Annette is very common here.¡± It was true. In the Western Continent, the name ¡®Annette¡¯ had been quite popular for over 20 years, and it was definitely a name that would show up in the ¡®Top 10 most common names¡¯ list. I had also read it several times in newspapers and magazines. ¡®It¡¯s an extra debuff.¡¯ It was clear that the author just wrote it as it was. ¡°And I¡­ Because I want to keep calling you by your name¡­¡± The phantom thief said something a little cryptic. Anyway, it was a bit of a surprise. He didn¡¯t seem to think of it as just a transaction, but as if he really wished me happiness. ¡®Of course, even if he was, it¡¯s information, so I can¡¯t completely believe him.¡¯ Usually, incredibly scary people sign contracts to get a price worthy of it. It was clear that the phantom thief boy was actually a very scary person. ¡®He might want something huge later on.¡¯ Of course, so far, he hadn¡¯t wanted anything. ¡®What does he want from me?¡¯ He didn¡¯t really want anything to the point where I was getting a little anxious. Anyway, other than that, it was a peaceful and happy daily life to the extent that there was no problem at all. Uh¡­ ¡°¡­Still, I¡¯m a little concerned about the customer who put it on credit.¡± I remember the tall man giving me chocolates and flowers (without paying for his bread) and then walking out. The first ¡®credit¡¯ customer in the history of a small bakery! I set the watering can aside and sat down on the bench under the porch. Then I lightly inhaled the scent of the white flowers that the man had given me. ¡®It¡¯s a familiar flower.¡¯ ¡®I think I¡¯ve received it before, when was it?¡¯ But I couldn¡¯t recall every old memory, so I gave up and untied the pink ribbon. Inside, a shiny chocolate with a rich cacao scent was revealed. Nom¡ª I took a bite and it melted on my tongue. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Then I covered his mouth in surprise. ¡®It¡¯s very tasty.¡¯ The chocolate given by the unidentified nerdish man was soft, sweet, and thick. I instantly became happy and smiled brightly. CH 57 While eating chocolate, I took a break while enjoying the peaceful and beautiful scenery. Basking in the pleasant sun was a bonus. Jii-chak¡ª ¡°If you¡¯re done resting, shall we go in now?¡± Upon entering, Um was cleaning the bakery with a broom. He was still wearing an apron with fluffy bread design on it. ¡®Now you¡¯re a full-fledged assistant baker, Mr. Um.¡¯ I snorted proudly. ¡®Whoa, it was hard to convince him at first.¡¯ Um, who could handle fire was a perfect fit as a helper in the bakery, but of course there was a lot of backlash at first. Like a large dog that was extremely resistant to the leash, he rebelled, going, ¡®Bow wow wow!!¡¯ ¡®So I had to get him to be familiar with bread little by little.¡¯ ¡°Mr. Um, look at the color of these wonderful croissants!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t look. I¡¯ll never look at it, so give up!¡± Slowly, very slowly¡­ I¡­ ¡°Try eating this freshly baked morning bread soaked in fragrant milk. Is it delicious?¡± ¡°Huh¡­ It tastes good.¡± Slowly, I set the trap of the evil bread lover. ¡°Glutinous rice, the full moon is very pretty today.¡± ¡°It looks like a delicious bread baked in the morning.¡± ¡°¡­Is it?¡± ¨DIn the end, Um was soaked into bread. One day, he put on an apron and started helping out little by little in the baking business. Naturally, he sometimes grumbled about my amazing career choice. ¡°The king¡¯s bookkeeper, the continent¡¯s richest man, the king of war who created a new civilization¡­ And the baker.¡± However, in self-employment, labor costs account for a very large proportion¡­? Accept reality, Um. ¡®Whoa, this is a great operating cost reduction.¡¯ Of course, the benefit of Um helping me was not only the reduction in operating costs. There were also other great unexpected benefits. I walked over to the lights illuminating the bread display stand, lightly snapping my finger. Poof! At that gesture, the lights went out like magic. It was Sordi¡¯s power. ¡®The more time I spend with Um and Sordi, the more my resonance with them increases.¡¯ Thanks to this, I could now handle the power of the two to some extent. Of course, it wasn¡¯t perfect yet. For example¡ª ¡°Glutinous rice, we will be away for a few days.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ Is that time already?¡± ¡°Yes, we¡¯ve been here too long. Now is the time to go back.¡± There were still shortcomings, such as not being able to let Sordi and Um stay here indefinitely. Still, it was better than the first time. I thought back to our first meeting. ¡®I couldn¡¯t summon them for even a moment, so I had to ride a monster flower and go to the place where the two of them were.¡¯ Though in our second meeting, I could summon them to the Forest warehouse for a while. I later found out that the place where I first met Sordi and Um was the ¡®Sorcerer¡¯s Hall¡¯, where the souls of the sorcerers gathered. They usually take a break there and then appear when I call. I replied with a smile. ¡°It must be a long vacation for the two of you. Go eat a lot of delicious food and rest well. Sordi, Um.¡± Sordi asked sadly, covering his eyes with his long sleeves. ¡°What if I miss my baby?¡± ¡°You will be fine!¡± The red-haired wolf also crossed his arms and became serious. ¡°Glutinous rice, it must be very difficult for you to run alone.¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Even with my ironclad defense, the couple who loved their belated child only deepened their anguish. ¡°I might cry every day because I miss my baby. It¡¯s fortunate that I have a portrait.¡± ¡®¡­When did you draw the portrait?¡¯ ¡°Glutinous rice, call me anytime. Even if you need help in the bakery, call me. Even if I am resting, I can immediately jump out¡ª¡± ¡®All right, go back.¡¯ I listened to the stories that contained their worries for a long time, and in the end, following Sordi¡¯s words, ¡°Let¡¯s hug each other¡±, I hugged the two of them in turn. ¡®They both have severe separation anxiety.¡¯ I shook my head, but only inwardly. After such a long goodbye, Sordi and Um eventually returned to the Sorcerer¡¯s Hall (it took over 30 minutes to say goodbye). ¡°Whew¡­¡± I put my hands on my waist and looked around the bakery, which had become quieter and more peaceful. ¡°Is it ¡®me time¡¯ from now on?¡± I laughed softly. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ Mmm, hm, mm~ As I entered the kitchen humming pleasantly, ¡®Poof!¡¯ the lights automatically lit up. From the shiny polished oven to the low and small worktop, to the way the cooking utensils were laid out and evenly arranged¡ª It was my favorite space. I put on my apron and checked the pre-fermented dough. ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s just right.¡± Chwiik-seuk¡ª This squishiness while pushing the soft dough with a rolling pin felt good. While the bread was being made, in a cast iron pot, a stew made with diced lamb, potatoes, onions, and paprika simmered with a delicious smell. ¡°Oh my.¡± Put the bread in the oven, and let it rise! Upon heating, the dough quickly rose. Just like those big fluffy chick butts. I hummed, pulled out some freshly baked soft bread, grabbed some sweet fig jam and some yogurt, and sat down at the table. ¡°Fufu, shall I eat some now?¡± Huuu¡ª The bread that had just been taken out was steaming. I carefully grasped both ends of the bread and pulled it, it tore with the grain, and revealed the hot inside. ¡°Crazy.¡± I hurriedly took a bite. The taste that melted in my mouth like butter was absolutely enchanting today. ¡°Ahh, it¡¯s good to be the owner of a bakery¡­¡± This bread lover¡¯s life satisfaction was 1,000%. Shwiik¡ª I opened the newspaper and enjoyed my leisure time. ¡°Will there be a lot of interesting news today¡­?¡± I always read a newspaper during lunchtime. It was a ¡®world daily¡¯ newspaper. ¡®Sometimes, there is news of Sislin and Heinrich.¡¯ Of course, this extra was omitted from the original. Still¡ª ¡®I¡¯m curious as to whether it¡¯s going well towards a happy ending.¡¯ After only existing as ¡®Reader 1¡¯, entering the original work, and directly affecting the story, it was quite interesting to watch. It felt like peeping at the slightly changed original, or reading a new, exciting novel? In fact, almost 10 years have passed, and my feelings for Sislin and Heinrich remain only beautiful memories. Even till our deaths, we would never see each other again. So, what could I say. ¡®It feels less burdensome.¡¯ This newspaper was a comprehensive coverage of news from all over the world, so articles about Sislin or Heinrich were only published once or twice a year. Even if it was only one or two times, it was always interesting. What articles have been published so far? The hidden prince (Sislin) of the El Dorado imperial family was discovered, and that he was in a secret nursery. It was reported that the children were rescued from the facility and that the ¡®Forest¡¯ was eventually closed. ¡®Hmm, that¡¯s great.¡¯ Of course, it was true that living in the Forest was good. But it was a place where children were raised and used for special purposes. The intention was impure to begin with. When I saw the article, I was curious about the whereabouts of the children and teachers of the Forest, so I had the thought of calling Julius¡­ But I eventually decided against it. ¡®If I reveal my location, I might get in trouble.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t merely trust the phantom thief boy. I, too, was hiding from the past so not even a single strand of my hair could be seen. Thanks to this, Gerard had been searching in vain for over a decade. ¡°Hey, I cut off all pursuit and am living in this corner of the country, so how will you find me? ¡­Even if you¡¯re an obsessive maniac, you¡¯ll never find me.¡± I muttered, and I shuddered for a moment. Just a little¡­ Wasn¡¯t that an ominous statement? ¡°Scratch that. It will be difficult even for an obsessive maniac! Even if he¡¯s an obsessive maniac, he can¡¯t find me!¡± No one was listening, but I purposely shouted out loud towards the sky. It¡¯s fine whether it¡¯s God or the writer, just listen to this and remove my ominous flag. ¡®Do you understand?¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m now more reassured, fufu.¡¯ I rubbed my nose and leisurely flipped the newspaper again. In any case, other than that, there was only news that Sislin had waged a war. That was the whole article about Sislin. To put it all together, Sislin¡¯s life was going roughly the way it was written. But not Heinrich¡¯s. ¡®Why is Heinrich different from the original?¡¯ Judging from the fact that it was written in the articles as ¡®Heinrich Hyacinth¡¯, it was certain that he had been adopted by the Marquis of Hyacinth as in the original story, but his movements were different from the original. Heinrich made a name for himself as a genius wizard (so far it was the same as the original), and was earning a lot of money by inventing various magic tools. He was a new-rich man. There was no such content in the original. Because of my personal taste, nearly all the characters I read about were poor. ¡ªNo, shouldn¡¯t it? If one laid down on a pile of gold coins and wiped their tears with the finest silk, it¡¯s not enough to evoke pity, right? Anyway¡­ ¡®Isn¡¯t it good to be rich?¡¯ I thought, chewing on an apple. In addition, there were articles that spread his vicious chihuahua-like side to the world, stuff like, ¡®He grabbed the arm of the old mage¡¯. But I had a foggy brain (?) and tried to forget about it. Fortunately, today¡¯s paper did not contain anything about the boys. ¡°¡­Whew, I¡¯m safe again today.¡± I laughed softly. I felt like no news is good news. I mean, it¡¯s a little difficult if something like the ¡®Wizard¡¯s neck¡­¡¯ was posted frequently. I folded the newspapers and arranged the plates that had been emptied in no time. Just then, I heard a chime from a bell on the door. ¡°Welcome!¡± I greeted with a bright smile. ¡®Ah, did someone come to pay the bill?¡¯ The self-employed person looked at the door reflexively, recalling the first credit customer. CH 58 ¡°¡­Hello Annette.¡± Pink hair, blue eyes, small and skinny for a 12-year-old. ¨DUhm, unfortunately, it¡¯s not the credit customer. The name of the boy who entered the bakery is Noah. Noah lived with his sister in a small house down the hill with their grandfather, and his circumstances were not quite good. Knowing the situation of the boy who helped in his grandfather¡¯s work to the point that his little hands swell, it had been six months since I started giving bread to this family. ¡°Hello~¡± I smiled brightly. ¡°¡­Today again, I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re welcome. I was really bored while having tea. Did you eat lunch?¡± ¡°Yes. I ate.¡± ¡°Then I can pack the food for you to bring it back. Today¡¯s menu is lamb vegetable stew and bread!¡± I saw the boy swallowing his saliva as soon as he heard the contents of the menu, ¡®Meat Stew¡¯. Then his face turned red as though he had been caught eating. ¡®Heuk-heuk, it¡¯s so cute.¡¯ ¡®This pink cotton ball!¡¯ ¡°Wait a minute. I¡¯ll wrap it up with some fresh bread.¡± The boy fiddled with his bruised hands. While humming, I packed plenty of bread that was still warm in a paper bag, and also, stew with a savory taste made by boiling for a long time on low heat. ¡°Come on, here you go. Take it and enjoy it with your sister and grandfather. Understand?¡± ¡°¡­Well, Annette.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Noah raised his head and said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to take care of me like this in the future. ¡®Cause I¡¯m all grown up now. I can take care of my grandfather and sister.¡± Seeing him say such a thing at a height less than half an adult¡¯s made my heart ache for some reason. ¡®I had a time like that too.¡¯ When I was 12-years-old, I thought I was all grown up. When I was young, I didn¡¯t have enough time to take care of my future, yet I wanted to take care of other children as well. Looking back now, I was too young¡­ I quietly bent my knees, lowered my upper body, made eye contact, and smiled. ¡°Noah, if you¡¯re not uncomfortable, why don¡¯t you keep accepting the bread?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It makes me feel at ease when I give bread to Noah because it reminds me of the siblings I left behind. And my long-cherished wish was to distribute bread to many people when I open . I want to show off my work!¡± I smiled brightly. ¡°So, Noah is actually granting my wish.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The boy¡¯s pupils trembled slightly. Noah¡¯s bracken-like hands were clenched, then opened, and he spoke again. ¡°Then, please wrap the leftover bread in the future. Annette doesn¡¯t always have to painstakingly bake twice.¡± ¡°That will never happen!¡± I straightened my back and proudly pointed with my index finger, ¡®Ding!¡¯ and said, ¡°Because my ¡®respect for bread¡¯ doesn¡¯t allow it.¡± ¡°¡­R-Respect for bread?¡± ¡°The operation of depends on my ¡®respect for bread¡¯. Bread is delicious when eaten warm! It¡¯s not acceptable for me to give dry bread from my store!¡± And there was no bread left in my . It closes only after selling everything unconditionally (look at my business skills when selling the date palm tarts). Noah looked at me with eyes expressing ¡®Is it something to be so determined about like that?¡¯, but I rubbed my nose and felt proud inside. ¡®Fufu, I¡¯m a pretty cool bakery owner.¡¯ ¡®And I¡¯ve been through it, kid.¡¯ In my previous life, I was in a sad position to be helped, so I knew how it felt. In my previous life, most of the food that was given to me at the orphanage was just before the expiration date, and as for clothes, they had all been worn by someone else before. ¡ªIt was for charity. ¡®Even in difficult circumstances, you have the right to be happy while eating warm bread like everyone else, you¡¯re a child.¡¯ No, it was like that for everyone. It was my philosophy to hope that everyone would be happy in front of bread. And when I helped the boy, somehow it reminded me of the children of the Forest, which warmed my heart. I made eye contact with the hesitant Noah. Then I smiled and gently stroked his hair. ¡°You just have to eat it without worrying about anything, Noah.¡± I let out a genuine laugh. ¡°That¡¯s my biggest joy.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Noah¡¯s watery eyes trembled. Soon, with a red face, the boy bowed his head and murmured. ¡°¡­Thank you so much, Annette.¡± ¡°Thank you too.¡± I sent Noah away with a lot of bread and stew. As Noah ran up the hill, he looked back several times and waved his beret towards me. ¡®Is he going to have dinner once he gets back?¡¯ My imagination unfolded. When the sun set, smoke would rise from the chimney, and the boy, his grandpa, and his sister would sit around a small table for dinner. They would talk a lot. Even if they didn¡¯t say much, they would burst out laughing, and everything would be delicious even if they were sharing a little bit of food. In the meantime, the arduous work from the day would come to nothing. ¡ªBecause, that¡¯s ¡®family¡¯. I suddenly felt lonely. ¡°I¡¯m envious.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Noah, how does it feel to have such a family?¡± ¡®I don¡¯t know because I¡¯ve never experienced it in my previous life.¡¯ Just imagining this was not enough. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I stared at the hill for a while, then sighed lightly. Then I went back into the bakery. It was time to stop feeling envious and continue my comfortable life. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ After that, my everyday life was peaceful. As usual, I read a few books (there were a lot of interesting novels here too), brought a flower pot inside, and added nutrients. And while I was knitting very leisurely, I fed the cat who came to play in the evening. Meow¨C ¡°Is this my house today?¡± The cat that often wandered around the village to get food rubbed its face on the back of my hand. After feeding the cat, I ate a light dinner and went in to clean the kitchen. Slowly, I opened the grocery drawer and furrowed my eyebrows. ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m almost out of baking ingredients.¡± ¡®I should go shopping tomorrow.¡¯ But let¡¯s see¡ª ¡®I don¡¯t have any help around, so who¡¯ll be the porter?¡¯ In this situation where efficient free manpower was missing, this self-employed boss was in trouble. But my worries were for a mere while. ¨DUnexpectedly, a worker was nearby. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ Ding, ding¡ª The log door opened and the bell hanging along with the stuffed chick doll chimed cheerfully. ¡®Huh? He¡¯s here.¡¯ I glanced at the man slightly. Softly wavy hair like the beautiful wheat fields of autumn, emerald eyes as clear as the sea water of coral islands, and thin square-rimmed glasses. His nose was sharp and his lips were plump. Again, it was a pretty face. This handsome man was always shy, but he looked pretty cute despite his timid attitude because of his broad shoulders and tall stature. ¡®Why did he come twice in a row?¡¯ ¡®He usually visits the bakery every other day. And what¡¯s that in his hand?¡¯ He was holding a paper bag. I looked at it with a sharp eye, wondering if he had already bought bread from another bakery, but luckily it wasn¡¯t bread. ¨DIt was a pretty apple. How many had he bought? He was carefully holding the red apple sticking out of the bag with his large, white hand so that it would not fall. All of these observations were quickly completed in less than a second, after which, I greeted the customer with a grin. ¡°Welcome. Did you come by again today?¡± The man bowed his head politely. ¡°¡­Hello.¡± His plump lips moved. ¡°I am very sorry for yesterday. I realized later that I had just gone without paying for the bread, lady.¡± Again, in a noble and respectful tone, he offered a sincere apology. ¡®He looked as if he had committed a crime.¡¯ Seeing him being fidgety with his handsome face made me want to tease him a little, so I crossed my arms and frowned. ¡°Did you by any chance buy those pretty and delicious looking apples?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ I did.¡± A little smile passed the bakery owner¡¯s face for a moment due to his cute and honest answer, but the charming young man could not catch it. With my arms still crossed, I said, ¡°It¡¯s difficult to eat free bread and pay with apples, customer.¡± ¡°Ahh¡­ Of course I don¡¯t mean that. I will pay for the bread separately.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t accept the money.¡± Beyond the square-framed glasses, the man¡¯s green eyes gleamed with a curious light. Meanwhile, this bakery owner¡¯s eyes scanned the man. A strong arm holding a bag full of apples, a chest that seemed subtly firm inside the shirt, and slim belly without fat. Gulp. At that search-like gaze, the man¡¯s rib cage trembled as if nervous. ¡°The credit you owe me for that free bread¡­¡± I tapped my chin and said with greedy eyes. ¡°I want to receive it with that solid body.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Tuk¡ª Suddenly, a bright red apple fell from the paper bag and rolled on the floor. His ears reddened innocently. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ve misheard you, please say that again¡­¡± I looked into his eyes and spoke like a maniac. ¡°Please pay off the debt. With your body.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± Tuk, tuk, tuk¡ª With a flustered expression, he dropped the whole bag of apples from his arms. Soon, he bent down to pick up the apples, and instantly, his back seemed to be emanating boiling heat. His large hands rushed to pick up the apples, but somehow he missed more than he picked up. Drawing a smile on my face, I picked up a bright red apple and lightly handed it to him. ¡°Do you not like it?¡± He shook his head hastily. ¡°No.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s okay?¡± He nodded hastily. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s fine.¡± I grinned and asked another question. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Ah, my name is Ky¡­ It¡¯s ¡®Kine¡¯.¡± The man was about to say his name, but he stumbled slightly before stuttering it out. I nodded my head and let out an ¡®ahhh¡¯ sound. ¡°I¡¯ll call you Mr. Kine.¡± ¡°¡­Yes. Thank you, lady.¡± I didn¡¯t know what he was thankful for, but let¡¯s accept that apology first. Once we picked up all the apples, I smiled and spoke as he carried the bag full of apples. ¡°Then why don¡¯t we meet at 10am tomorrow at the clock tower on Bishank Street?¡± ¡°Great.¡± ¡°Do you have any other plans for tomorrow?¡± He shook his head. For some reason, I could see a determined willingness to get rid of his schedule (if there really was). The reaction was cute, so I chuckled. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The man who introduced himself as Kine bit his lower lip as if slightly embarrassed. A dimple shyly entered his handsome face. Still maintaining my smile, I said, ¡°Then we will meet at the clock tower tomorrow at 10am. Please don¡¯t be late?¡± ¡°I will not be late.¡± ¡®Mr. Kine¡¯ answered. ¡°Never¡­¡± There was a faint excitement in the man¡¯s eyes. It was an expression suggesting that he wanted to run to the clock tower right now and wait for her all night. CH 59 ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ The eldest son of the Marquis of Winston, Kyle Winston, still felt like he was dreaming. Even as he walked through the murky, dark, damp back alleys, his face was pale throughout as he dimly remembered. ¡°Please pay off the debt ¡®with your body¡¯.¡± At the sudden sound of Annette¡¯s voice ringing in his ears, the large man took off his glasses with one hand and wiped his face as if he was washing his face dry. ¡°¡ªI¡¯m going crazy.¡± Maybe he would hear it all night long? This voice. ¡°Hah.¡± Kyle sighed, folded his glasses and put them in his pocket. In the light of a gas lamp, his face was revealed. The impression of childhood remained on the man¡¯s face. Of course, compared to the likes of the shy boy, his eyes were deeper, his stature was taller, and his blood-stained hands were hard and large. For the past 10 years, Kyle Winston had been with Circe in the magical beasts subjugation squad. It was a natural decision as the successor to the ¡®Marquis of Winston¡¯, who has been in charge of subjugating the magical beasts in the borders of the El Dorado Empire from generation to generation¡ª As it happened, that period coincided with the disappearance of , the intelligence guild operated by Bizet. In the sun, subduing the magical beasts. In the shadows, information operations. This was the secret that the Winstons had inherited from generation to generation. The successors operated an intelligence guild under their respective names (like how Bizet used the name ¡®Balrog¡¯), but they were never found out. From the mask that completely changed one¡¯s appearance, to the technology that erased tracking. As generations of Winstons passed, the method of hiding their identity developed further in sophistication. However, attacking the prince¡¯s procession was certainly a risky act. Usually, when they do something like this, they would change the name in the intelligence guild and pass on the position of ¡®Master¡¯ to the successor, but¡­ No matter how good Kyle was, he was only a little over 10 years old. Eventually, Bizet made a decision. ¡°As of today, we are going out for a long period of subjugation. Now, the traces of will be erased, and we will be faithful only to the role of the Empire¡¯s magical beast subjugation squad¡­ My son is 10 years old and he will live on the battlefield.¡± ¡°I am fine, Father.¡± ¡°I believe, my son!¡± It was from then. Externally, he formed a beast subjugation group to protect the borders, and behind the scenes, he faithfully slaughtered the hunting dogs sent by Gerard. Meanwhile, the boy grew up on the battlefield and he soon became a man. As he progressed to his coming-of-age ceremony, he became a man without any shortcomings as the next master. ¡°Now I leave the guild to you, my son. Please take good care of my beautiful daughter-in-law in the future!¡± ¡­It was a strange request (it¡¯s usually the other way around), but once Kyle accepted it, Bizet went on a long vacation as if he had been waiting. The people of Circe who returned to their intelligence identities from the beast subjugation squad got a new master and name, . And Larva started their first business here, on Bayoniere Island. Chaak¡ª As soon as Kyle opened the door and walked in, the thug-like men greeted him warmly. ¡°Master!¡± ¡°You¡¯re here? Hahahaha, did you stop by the bakery today as well?¡± ¡°Did you say even a single word today?¡± On one side, men who were playing poker and drinking beer (¡®one-eyed¡¯ and ¡®chubby¡¯) stood up, greeted him, and asked questions. (TL/N: oof, those men don¡¯t even get names ;_;) Soon, they had trembling expressions. The chubby man stared like a dog at his owner¡¯s hand when he returned (he was simply looking at him, but his face was like that), and then put his hands on his head. ¡°¡­Unbelievable! There is no bread today!¡± Even ¡®one-eyed¡¯ was startled. ¡°Why no bread? Now, if I don¡¯t eat bread from even for a day, I feel empty.¡± ¡°I am suffering from the ¡®golden bread phenomenon¡¯! If there is no cream bread in the house, my hands will shake and my saliva will drip and I get very nervous¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be noisy, shut up.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± At Kyle¡¯s indifferent command, the members of Larva kept their mouths shut. Kyle sat down in his chair, rolled up the hem of his coat, and clasped his chin with a half-leather-gloved hand. ¡°I have a big problem.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Kyle explained to the men what happened in Annette¡¯s bakery today. ¡®One-eyed¡¯ and ¡®Chubby¡¯ lifted their faces up hopelessly. For six months, their bashful master couldn¡¯t hand over white flowers and a single chocolate, and only bought bread. So should they be looking forward to it? Would he speak to her today or would he speak tomorrow¡­ While their master hesitated, the chocolate melted and the flowers withered, so he bought new chocolate and white flowers for her every day. He was truly a terribly shy person. Their biggest concern was whether their master and the girl would introduce themselves to each other within a year. But now¡­ ¡°¡­¡­!!! Such rapid progress!¡± ¡°Did you make an appointment for tomorrow?¡± The man who said that rolled his one eye quickly, as if he couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°I didn¡¯t make it, she pretty much ¡®notified¡¯ me.¡± It was true. Annette suddenly chose a location and date for him to pay off his debt. She did in a minute what he couldn¡¯t do in six months. ¡°Master, is tomorrow a date?¡± At the one-eyed man¡¯s words, Kyle asked back with a slightly shocked face. ¡°¡­A date?¡± Even as he replied, the nape of his neck was clearly red. The chubby man gently brushed his beard. ¡°Repaying with your ¡®body¡¯, that is¡­¡± ¡®Chubby¡¯ predicted, ¡°Perhaps she has something for Master to do.¡± Near Bishank¡¯s clock tower, there was a large market selling fruits, vegetables, and baking ingredients, and she was the owner of a bakery. ¡°Perhaps, she wants the Master¡­¡± ¡°¡ªIt must mean to give my body and soul.¡± ¡®¡­No way? Master?¡¯ The chubby guild member was stunned, but there was already a faint madness in Kyle¡¯s eyes. He swiftly glanced at ¡®one-eyed¡¯, but his comrade only shook his head in response. The message was something like, ¡®Looking at his eyes, it would be a mistake to try to stop him¡¯. Their master had a very charming appearance, but he was not good at dating because he only loved one woman in his entire life (and it was also an unrequited love). ¡°I must prepare a marriage proposal soon.¡± ¡®Proposal, already¡­?!¡¯ ¡®Already?¡¯ The one-eyed man stared at the crazy love locomotive and opened his mouth very, very carefully. ¡°Actually, Master, it doesn¡¯t mean that a man and woman who go on a date will get married.¡± ¡°¡­Is it?¡± The chubby body also responded. ¡°Yes, yes!¡± ¡°It takes time. Proposals should be made after carefully examining the atmosphere with the woman.¡± ¡°Of course. How stupid of me. I naturally become an idiot when it comes to her¡­ I¡¯m excited.¡± Kyle sat down and brushed his flushed face. ¡°But I plan to propose as soon as possible.¡± It¡¯s already been promised. In fact, when he was very young, he promised her that he would propose to her when they became adults. He asked while politely handing her a white flower, and she smiled like an angel saying she liked it. From that day on, the young Kyle could never forget that moment. Recalling that time, he had a dreamy boy-like face for a moment, but then he suddenly lifted his head as if he had come back to his senses. Because a rather astonishing question flashed through his mind. ¡°What should I wear tomorrow?¡± ¡ªThis was the first time in his life that he was troubled about such a thing. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ The next day. I was running down the hill as swiftly as a flying squirrel. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re late.¡± ¡®I¡¯m sorry, Kine.¡¯ As a self-employed professional, I didn¡¯t have the habit of being late, but Vincent asked for help because Adam, a 5-year-old boy living downstairs, was ill. Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t serious. I gave Adam a fever reducer and put him to sleep, and Vincent gave me food ingredients as a thank you (he tried to give me the whole garden, but I dissuaded him), but in the end it took over 10 minutes. Thump, thump! Feet covered in white shoes ran down the path energetically and rhythmically. A breeze that gently brushed the skin. And brilliant sunlight. Maybe because the weather was nice, the more I ran, the better I felt. ¡°Hah. Hah.¡± When I neared the clock tower on Bishank Street, I straightened my hair and clothes inside the corner. ¡®Maybe I¡¯m late and he¡¯s gone.¡¯ Though, I couldn¡¯t help it if it was the case. Since it was my fault. Thinking I would have to buy the ingredients by myself, I stepped over the corner. However; ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡®Kine¡¯ was waiting at the spot. My first thought was, ¡®How long has he been waiting?¡¯, and the next thought¡­ ¡®Interestingly, I can only see Mr. Kine.¡¯ ¡ªIt¡¯s true. It was partly because he was much taller than the other men, but his beautiful eyes, and the sunlight that fell on his soft brown hair like an autumn wheat field¡­ ¡­The square-rimmed glasses and today¡¯s dapper appearance, were simply just picturesque. Such a poetically handsome man¡­ ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ The left side of the Bishank Clock Tower was a food market, but the right side was a downtown area for couples to date, so there were quite a few men waiting for their lover. But the females, both children and adults, were all blushing and glancing at Kyle. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Then, he suddenly found her. Kyle¡¯s eyes were filled with excitement as he watched her approaching little by little. The sun-drenched emerald eyes bent gently. It was a sweet, loving smile. ¡°Mr. Kine, am I late? I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Have you been waiting a long time?¡± Kyle readily replied. In seriousness, putting a large hand on his chest. ¡°Not at all, lady. I just came here early because I have work.¡± Upon hearing the lie, the flower seller next to him burst into laughter, ¡°Puahahaha!¡± This was because he had seen how this innocent man arrived two hours ago and waited. All throughout, with a very excited face. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Kyle patted his blushing ears. CH 60 Annette lowered her eyebrows and said, ¡°What do I do? I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m late, so I¡¯ll buy you lunch.¡± ¡°No, my lady.¡± ¡°After emphasizing not to be late, the late person should buy some food, right? And,¡± She asked him to wait for a moment, then quickly got a basket from the fruits and vegetables market next to the clock tower and placed it in his arms. ¡°¨DMr. Kine needs to put in some effort today!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Kyle looked down at the basket for a moment, then put his palm on his chest and smiled. ¡°I am really happy. That I can do something for the lady.¡± Annette thought he seemed very sincere. Is he a kind person who enjoys serving others? ¡®He¡¯s really gentle.¡¯ It was 100 points as the bread lover¡¯s shuttle. ¡°Then let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± All the lovers headed to the downtown area on the right, but they vigorously moved towards the food market. The sky flaunted the sunny weather and shone a dazzling sunshine everywhere. Annette, who was walking with a small basket in her arms, recited a list of things to buy today. Kyle took the list very seriously, as if it were items to save 100 lives. They first bought lemongrass, rocket, and basil, then stopped by a stall full of fresh fruits. ¡°Lady, do you buy fruits here?¡± ¡°No.¡± Annette covered her mouth so that only he could see it, and lowered her voice. ¡°It¡¯s expensive here. Jake¡¯s fruit shop over there is cheap and good.¡± Her eyes were widened mischievously as she flicked her thumb, pointing inward. Kyle stopped himself from laughing out at her cute expression. It wasn¡¯t what he had imagined last night, but it was still a pretty enjoyable date. Though it was unclear whether she would consider this to be a date. Jake¡¯s shop was located in the innermost part of the market, and once they were in the vicinity of it, there was a subtle smell of freshness. A lot of pretty fruits were piled up, and Mr. Jake, a hairy man, greeted them with a big smile. ¡°Haha, the owner of has arrived. There are many delicious fruits today, so choose them!¡± ¡°What is delicious today, Boss?¡± ¡°Are you looking for tart ingredients?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Then, try this western pear that just came in. It¡¯s really sweet.¡± ¡°Can I taste it?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± After showing the girl the ripe, yellow, gourd-shaped fruit, Mr. Jake sliced through its flesh with a rough hand (but very quickly, with a professional feel). When she took a bite, the sweet and slightly sour juices abundantly wrapped around the tongue. ¡°Mmm¡­!¡± It was delicious and Annette¡¯s eyebrows went up. She quickly took the fork and held out a bite to Kyle. ¡°Mr. Kine, you should try it too. it is delicious.¡± She didn¡¯t seem to know how much the selfless act of feeding made his heart race. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± He hesitated for a moment, then slowly tilted his broad shoulders and took a bite of the fruit with trembling lips. ¡°How is it, it¡¯s delicious? Right?¡± Kyle covered his mouth and smiled, nodding his head softly. Mr. Jake, who looked at them meaningfully, smiled and said mischievously. ¡°You¡¯re very affectionate, are you newlyweds? When did our bakery owner get married?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡®Ah, what do you mean, Boss!¡¯ Annette panicked and pushed Kyle, who was standing really close to her. It was a swift gesture like a frog¡¯s hind leg. ¡°No, not newlyweds.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°This person is a regular customer of the bakery who is helping with my shopping today due to circumstances. Right, Mr. Kine?¡± But Kyle, who was still standing near her (he couldn¡¯t be shoved away because of his size), never explained anything. He just stood there, not denying it. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Annette¡¯s face turned a little red. ¡°Haha! You two get along very well, so why is that?¡± The hairy Mr. Jake laughed cheekily. Annette glanced at Mr. Jake, who was making fun of her, before quickly returning to a professional appearance and picked up a pear. Then she investigated the customers¡¯ tastes. ¡°Mr. Kine, imagine a tart with sweet cream on a crispy base, and topped with pears, wouldn¡¯t it be delicious?¡± ¡°Really¡­ It sounds delicious.¡± Annette grinned. In response to the customer¡¯s reaction, the cool-headed self-employed person thought, ¡°There will be no stock left¡±, and bought a basket of western pears. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ After a shopping spree, the two bought ice cream according to their taste and were walking side by side. Mine was lemon-flavored, and Mr. Kine¡¯s was chocolate. Now, I only had to purchase a few more important ingredients. Walking on a sunny street, basking in the sunlight, and taking a leisurely bite of sweet ice cream made me feel good. But there was no conversation. The ¡®Mr. Kine¡¯ that I interacted with was a man who didn¡¯t talk much. ¡®You must be very shy.¡¯ Whenever he occasionally whispered, he would tilt his broad shoulders closer, but when he fell, his cheeks were red for some reason. We didn¡¯t even make eye contact. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡®Hmm, let¡¯s do small talk.¡¯ I looked up at the man who was quietly walking next to me and impulsively asked, ¡°Mr. Kine, why are you dressed so nicely today?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± For a moment, his eyes flickered. ¡°Ah, this is what I usually wear.¡± Mr. Kine responded quickly, but I tilted my head. ¡®Not at all. It¡¯s definitely nicer than usual.¡¯ Did he put a lot of effort into his outfit? It looked like he had been thinking hard all night about what to wear, and finally came to a difficult decision. I looked at him with a perplexed expression, but realized something and asked with a smile. ¡°Ah, do you have another appointment after shopping with me?¡± Kyle gently licked the chocolate ice cream with his tongue, shaking his head slightly. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡®So, was it just a day in which you wanted to dress up?¡¯ I thought quietly and took a bite of the refreshing ice cream. Anyway, it was fortunate that he was stronger than he looked. I knew he had a hidden well-built physique, but I still thought of him as a square-rimmed glasses wearing nerd, a totally bashful nerd¡­ Contrary to that image, he was carrying a heavy bag with ease. ¡®I should ask you more often.¡¯ With a cheerful smile, I thought about how I could reduce labor costs even more. Meanwhile, Kyle was staring at Annette. Although he seldom made eye contact with her, his affectionate gaze always followed her when she looked elsewhere. He often secretly smiled and laughed because she was so lovely. The girl walking next to him was completely unaware. ¡°By the way, Mr. Kine, you must have bad eyes. Do you always wear glasses?¡± ¡°I only use it when I want to see things well.¡± Although his eyesight was poor, Kyle did not wear glasses on the battlefield or on a daily basis. It was an act that originated from a cynical and cold heart that did not want to look closely at the dirty things of the world. But whenever he went to the bakery, he kept his glasses on. As he wanted to see a lovely person well. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡®Why are you looking at me like that?¡¯ I dodged his gaze for the first time. I was kind of embarrassed, hence I quickly changed the subject. ¡°Do you remember what¡¯s left on the shopping list?¡± ¡°Salami ham and bacon, dark chocolate for baking, whole wheat flour, and fresh eggs. We can buy three more batches.¡± I opened my mouth wide. There were quite a few items, yet he remembered them all? There were easily 15 more things. Besides, I only mentioned it to him once. ¡®Even this bakery owner is using my palm as a cheat sheet!¡¯ ¡°You have a good memory, Mr. Kine.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The man quietly looked at the lady and smiled meaningfully. ¡°It¡¯s kind of like that.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°As much as I need to remember.¡± Annette was always at the center of that memory. It had been like that since he was very young. Annette didn¡¯t know, from the very first meeting of the two¡ª He was always the same. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ When Kyle Winston was 9-years-old, he went to the subjugation battlefield with Circe, and was eaten by the magical beasts. But it wasn¡¯t anything special. The Winstons started educating their successors slowly at about the age of six, which meant early education on ¡®subjugation of beasts¡¯ and ¡®guild management¡¯. Of course, there were many heirs who died in the meantime. If the child couldn¡¯t survive the education, then he wouldn¡¯t qualify as a Winston. And in Bizet¡¯s thoughts, Kyle was extraordinary. He couldn¡¯t have died. ¡°Be sure to find him, because he is still alive. He¡¯s a real Winston.¡± It was a wonderful coincidence that Madam Mimosa went out that day and found Kyle. A 9-year-old boy who had fainted with sticky digestive juices all over his body. The boy had a dagger in his hand. He had torn the beast¡¯s belly. The child¡¯s soul contained a tremendous amount of magical powers. Madam Mimosa recognized the boy at a glance. ¡°I found a great child. He will be a great Tree.¡± Kyle became a ¡®Tree¡¯ of the ¡®Forest¡¯. Ame: I think I¡¯ve found my ideal type!! A pure, innocent, cute man!! Cuteness wins!! And, WHAT?? Kyle was once a Tree?? Tassie: HOLY SHIT PLOT TWIST!!!!! Unlike AME however, TSUNDERES ALL THE WAY MANNN CH 61 As with all exceptional trees, Kyle had a small flaw. When he woke up, he had no idea who he was. Apparently, the magical beast that ate him was the type that spewed out bodily fluids of oblivion that could control the mind, and Kyle seemed to have drunk too much of that fluid. Also, he was extremely shy. It was partly because he lost his memory, which resulted in a personality change (though he did originally have a passive personality). Putting all of that together, Kyle couldn¡¯t meet people right away, and he avoided strangers. He was always hiding somewhere, and naturally, it was difficult for him to properly participate in class. ¡°What a complete scrapped defect. Tsk.¡± One of the teachers who brought the boy along with Mimosa said so whenever he saw Kyle. ¡®The student with the least presence in the Forest.¡¯ ¡ªThat was Kyle. Without even a name, he was often just called ¡®that kid¡¯ (though there was a name given by Mimosa, but no one cared). Then one day, while all the other Trees were enjoying outdoor classes. Kyle, after being scolded by the teacher, was trembling behind a tree. A short shadow fell beside the tree. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°This friend behind the tree, why aren¡¯t you playing?¡± He knew this girl¡¯s name. She was the model student, Annette. They lived in different dormitories, so they rarely had contact with each other, but Annette was quite famous. Every teacher praised Annette. Unlike him. ¡°Are you ¡®that kid¡¯? They say you can¡¯t look into people¡¯s eyes?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Kyle curled up without a word. She continued speaking, her voice becoming a murmur. ¡°Are you a little silly?¡± ¡°¡­I-I¡¯m not silly!¡± ¡°Oh! You spoke!¡± ¡°Hehe¡±, Annette laughed playfully. Then she asked what no one else had ever asked. ¡°Don¡¯t you feel lonely when you can¡¯t play with your friends?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Kyle didn¡¯t answer this time either. When she asked if he was lonely, he suddenly felt lonely without limits. It was two days later that Annette visited the dormitory where Kyle was staying. Kyle was so shy that he used a bed in the corner, and he even hid behind the lockers when Annette came. ¡°Here. Take this.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Annette brought out a squirrel mask. A clumsily-made mask that showed off the child¡¯s pitiful drawing skills to the fullest. ¡°It¡¯ll be nice if you wear it?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°If you wear a mask, no one will be able to see you properly. You¡¯re the only one who sees people. Isn¡¯t that okay?¡± As Annette said, it was fine. She understood exactly Kyle¡¯s psychology of wanting to mix with other people, but fearing their ¡®eyes¡¯. Because Kyle was always hiding near the kids, even if he couldn¡¯t mingle. For Kyle, who has lost his memory, the ¡®squirrel mask¡¯ was the first present he received in his life. No, it was the first time that someone cared about him. Kyle wore a squirrel mask and went to class from then on, and mixed carefully among the other Trees. Annette helped with that too. ¡°Hey, this squirrel wants to play with us too!¡± ¡°Wow¡­ I lwike sqwuiirels (I like squirrels).¡± ¡°Me too, me too.¡± To the Trees, the baby squirrel felt quite friendly. But of course¡ª ¡°What, you¡¯re wearing a weird mask. F*ck.¡± Someone with silver hair and purple eyes spit out bitterly like a feral chihuahua, but he was soon suppressed by Annette. ¡°Heinrich!¡± The silver-haired boy said, ¡°Sheesh¡­¡± and bit his tongue. And there were no more curses. ¡®I think Annette is pretty cool.¡¯ Kyle thought. ¡®I also want to be cool like Annette.¡¯ Then one day, Kyle got the flu and was ill all day. He was afraid to take off the mask even though he had to take medicine (if he didn¡¯t take it off he couldn¡¯t eat), so the health teacher was very angry. In the end, she said there was nothing she could do, and just left. Click¡ª The door opened carefully, and small footsteps were heard. It was Annette. Annette was holding something. The sick baby squirrel behind the mask was so glad to see her. He grunted, ¡°What is that in your hand?¡± ¡°¡­A cool squirrel mask.¡± Annette said that she had asked a Tree that had awakened ice-freezing magic to make this cool mask. And she turned around while Kyle changed the mask. As soon as he put on the new mask, his face, which was hot, became cooler. The fever on his forehead quickly came down. In addition, he was able to take medicine while wearing the new mask. ¡°Now, this is apple syrup, a cold medicine. I like apples the most among fruits. Do you like apples too?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Actually, Kyle didn¡¯t really care for apples, but from that moment on, he decided that apples were his favorite. The medicine that Annette gave him was sweet, not bitter at all. Enough for a small heart to beat. Kyle has been fond of Annette ever since. She was so good. She was thoughtful, sweet, kind, warm¡­ But Annette was the center of all. Everyone liked Annette. In contrast, he was just a boy in a squirrel mask. The only thing the little baby squirrel could do was to hang around Annette¡¯s side all the time (surprisingly, no one knew he was there because he had no presence). ¡°My favorite fruit is apples.¡± ¡°Well, I want to have a smart pet. For now, that¡¯s what I want the most.¡± ¡°I like my steak lightly cooked¡­ Ah, do the little ones not understand my taste?¡± ¡®Annette is really cool.¡¯ Her taste was somewhat mature, and it sounded really cool. So he did not forget anything. If he remembered Annette well, he believed that one day she would remember him too¡­ Then one day. ¡°¡ªThere you are, my son.¡± Now, Bizet Winston has come to the Forest. It had been a year since they met. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°If you promise me a secret oath, we will keep the information about your son.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I am hoping for, Madam Mimosa.¡± To Bizet, who visited the Forest without anyone knowing, Madam Mimosa promised him strict secrecy. It would be a futile scandal that the Winstons lost their son and found him in the Forest. At the same time, the fact that a noble child was brought to the Forest would be a blow to the Forest¡¯s image. The two who had similar interests kept the matter a secret. So Kyle returned to the Winston family. The news that the little boy had found his parents was circulated little by little (there was a rumor that it was commoner parents), and as expected, that rumor quickly faded as much as his presence. Kyle Winston received treatment. It was a treatment for memory loss, and fortunately most of the memories came back. But there was only one problem. The family doctor said, ¡°In order for Kyle to safely regain his memory, we¡¯ll have to erase all the memories during the time the amnesia occurred. In other words, all of what happened in the Forest.¡± ¡°But Kyle doesn¡¯t want that.¡± The doctor expressed displeasure at Bizet¡¯s words. ¡°Then the two memories will collide and he will often suffer from severe headaches.¡± Then, Kyle came out. ¡°It¡¯s okay to have headaches, so please leave the memories of the Forest.¡± ¡°¡­Son, weren¡¯t you saying that it hurts?¡± The boy, who was still young, answered Bizet¡¯s worries calmly. ¡°There are people I never want to forget.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Even if I die, I don¡¯t want to forget.¡± Bizet decided to respect his young son¡¯s opinion, and Kyle was able to get his old memories back while preserving his memories. A boy who traded headaches for his memories of her. But it was well worth it. After a while. After the death of the Winston family¡¯s carrier animal, Kyle, the next successor, selected the next animal. The animal he selected was a squirrel. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°Thank you for your help today, Mr. Kine.¡± In front of . After shopping, the two ate at a restaurant. It was a restaurant frequented by lovers on a date, which Kyle had made a reservation in advance. Annette had offered to pay as an apology for being late and as thanks for his labor, but the payment had already been completed. She mumbled, ¡°If I had known Mr. Kine would buy for me, I would have eaten more¡±, and Kyle laughed out loud at her because she was cute. Afterwards, the two returned to the bakery side by side. All the heavy stuff was carried inside by Kyle. Kyle replied to Annette¡¯s words of gratitude. ¡°¡­No. I was really happy to be able to help.¡± ¡°But I owe you so much for today.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that.¡± Happy, it was not an empty word. Kyle was happy every minute and second with her. Annette looked back at him, rustling and sorting out the packages. ¡°But I have something to ask you.¡± Kyle had a good expression on his face upon hearing that she wanted to ask him something. Showing his Indian dimples, he said, ¡°Anything. Lady.¡± ¡°Why did you gift me an apple?¡± ¡°¡­Because you like it.¡± Annette¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°I never said I liked apples. Besides, you bought me lemon-flavored ice cream without even asking. At the restaurant, before I even made my choice, the steak came out just the way I like it. Mr. Kine, you know my tastes all too well. It¡¯s like research.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Did you really come to my bakery by chance?¡± Slightly, Kyle¡¯s expression paled. She was expressing displeasure. Annette asked, hardening her face. ¡°Who are you?¡± CH 62 Beyond the square frame, the emerald-colored eyes dimmed. ¡®Are you embarrassed by my sharp question?¡¯ But it was for a mere moment. He laughed weakly. ¡°I am just a regular customer.¡± His pale face was as calm as ever. ¡°The reason I found out that the lady likes apples is¡­ because the bakery is full of apples.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Apple tart, apple cr¨¨me br?l¨¦e, the jam bread is also only made with apple jam, and the apple pie is baked every week. I couldn¡¯t help but know.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± I became a little embarrassed. I was kind of preoccupied with what I liked. Like a lighthouse. ¡°The rest was just coincidence. I¡¯m glad that it was perfect for the lady¡¯s taste, and I feel like I was responsible for a good meal.¡± He put a hand on his chest and laughed. With a heartfelt expression of joy Well, it couldn¡¯t have been a more perfect explanation. It was understandable enough. Besides, he was very calm. Usually, he blushed and panicked easily, so since he kept that calmness, he should be really innocent, yes? If it was acting, then he¡¯s not a human, but a fiery fox, right? ¡®He helped me, but I¡¯m suspecting him.¡¯ ¡ªHow ungrateful of me. I smiled and apologized quickly. ¡°Sorry. I was oversensitive, right? Haha, please understand. This happens sometimes.¡± Frankly, if you live as a person on the run for over 10 years, you would be suspicious of even the people living in the house next door. At first, I was even suspicious of Noah, who told me everything. But no matter who I doubted for over ten years¡ª ¡®They were all good people. The people of Bayonaire¡¯s.¡¯ To the point I seemed ridiculous when I got suspicious. ¡®Honestly, I¡¯ve never seen anyone chasing after me. Maybe he¡¯s given up now?¡¯ It was one of the two. Either the chaser was not using as much power as expected, or the phantom thief boy of Circe was able to erase the trail well. Considering Gerard¡¯s personality, the latter was more likely. Anyway. If he was planning to kidnap me, it would be weird to go, ¡®Kekeke, I¡¯ll give you your favorite apple¡¯ or ¡®Before kidnapping, I¡¯ll feed you a lot of lemon ice cream and delicious steak¡­!¡¯ Let¡¯s not needlessly doubt a good person. Then he said, ¡°I totally understand, lady.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I might have looked suspicious. Ever since I was little, it was like that.¡± With his head bowed, he continued his speech with a slightly sorrowful expression on his face. ¡°I wasn¡¯t particularly likable. Wherever I went, I was on the outside¡­ I wasn¡¯t popular.¡± His handsome face was like that of an innocent stag immersed in the depths of the water. His ears were red as if he was making a shameful and embarrassing confession. It was a sad face. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Rustle, rustle¡ª He quietly arranged the groceries in a state of low spirits. I raised my eyebrows. ¡®He looked like that, but he wasn¡¯t popular?¡¯ ¡®Is that scientifically possible? Most people have eyes, Mister.¡¯ Still, to say that he was an unlikeable person¡­ I felt sorry and pity for him. ¡®I doubted him for no reason and made it even worse.¡¯ The figure of him, who quietly cleaned up, seemed to overlap with a sad golden retriever who had been deprived of snacks, and I was always weak to people with that kind of atmosphere. It¡¯s been like that since I was very young. In the end, I put down the eggs I was packing away and said, ¡°Mr. Kine seems like a really nice person!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You make people feel comfortable. You are so gentle.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so.¡± ¡°Yes. And when you speak, your accent is really charming and nice.¡± Rustle, rustle¡ª He continued to organize things without much reaction, but upon closer inspection, the back of his neck was absolutely red. He was feeling very shy. ¡®Fufu, it¡¯s cute.¡¯ I thought I should get closer to him. If we get close, he might come to buy bread more often. ¡°Hey, how long are you going to call me ¡®lady¡¯?¡± ¡®Lady¡¯ was an honorable title, and you would not be called that unless you were a regular noble. Strictly speaking, I was not even a noble, so it¡¯s an undeserved title for me. It¡¯s burdensome to listen to. ¡°I¡¯m not a lady.¡± ¡°Then¡­ what should I call you?¡± ¡°You can call me Annette.¡± ¡°How dare I.¡± ¡°Or, people usually call me ¡®bakery owner¡¯ or ¡®boss¡¯ or something like that ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Call me comfortably.¡± He hesitated a little, then lowered his fine eyelashes over his square-rimmed glasses and parted his lips carefully to call me. ¡°¡­¡­Owner, Miss.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?!¡± Badump. ¡®If you don¡¯t use the prefix of ¡®bakery¡¯ before the title ¡®owner¡¯, I¡¯ll be very misunderstood, Mr. Kine!¡¯ Why omit the most important word? I think he thought it was disrespectful to call me ¡®owner¡¯, so he added the title of ¡®miss¡¯. ¡®You could¡¯ve just used ¡®boss¡¯.¡¯ With his innocent handsome face blushing to the fullest, he jutted his lips again. ¡°Owner.¡± It sounds weird. But I couldn¡¯t bring myself to point it out. This was because he looked serious as if he would give his ¡®body and soul¡¯ generously, and he was already extremely shy, so I thought he would be very disappointed if I pointed it out. ¡°¡­The nickname, do you mind?¡± I replied with an expression that was as if I had reached nirvana. (TL/N: or in simpler terms, she gave up.) ¡°Yes, it¡¯s nice.¡± ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ Two days later. It was when the sign of was changed to ¡®Closed¡¯ after business as usual. ¡°Annette, are you closed for the day?¡± ¡°Oh, Mr. Beaverando! What brings you here?¡± A man who resembled a beaver, and somehow even his name was Beaverando, came to me. He was carrying a thick document. It was probably an official document dispatched by the lord to Beaverando, who was taking care of the entire Bayonaire island. It was a small island and a small village. ¡°Ah, nothing much, just this ¡®personal information booklet¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­Personal information?¡± ¡®We have to write it down, this remote little island?¡¯ The Personal Information Department, uhm, was kind of like resident registration. ¡®The Fris Empire is really trying to scrap taxes.¡¯ It must have been ordered by the imperial family, not the lord. I saw it in the newspaper a while ago. In order to more clearly check the safety of the people of the Empire, it¡¯s said that they would create a personal information book. ¡®You¡¯re just trying to get money.¡¯ The El Dorado Empire does not collect taxes on small territories ruled by these minor nobles. As it¡¯s harder to make ends meet in the rural area. However, it seemed that it had been firmly established. ¡®Cruel bastards. Damn it.¡¯ ¡°Can you sign here, Annette?¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Beaverando.¡± It was not Mr. Beaverando¡¯s fault. I smiled and signed the personal information booklet with the name ¡®Annette¡¯, the size of the bakery, and the details of the house. Mr. Beverlando looked up at and asked, ¡°The first floor is a bakery, and the second floor is where Annette lives¡­ Who lives on the third floor?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just an empty room. I¡¯m using it as a warehouse, Mr. Beaverando.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. Then that red-haired man lives somewhere else?¡± ¡°Yes, he is a commuter employee.¡± ¡®You can¡¯t increase taxes.¡¯ In fact, Mr. Um lives nowhere. If I have to say where he lives¡­ In my mind? ¡®We don¡¯t live together anyway.¡¯ I, the bakery owner, thought about tax-reduction for self-employed people, and as I walked into the bakery, I called out, ¡°Wait!¡± Then, when I came out, both my hands were full of warm bread. ¡°Eat this, Mr. Beaverando.¡± ¡°¡­Oh, can I get this free bread? I am an honest official.¡± Even as he said that, Mr. Beaverando, already possessed by the sweet smell, was swallowing his saliva. I smiled, eyes curving. ¡°It¡¯s just bread, yes?¡± ¡°Thank you Annette, I¡¯ll eat it!¡± ¡°Yes~¡± I thought as I waved to Mr. Beaverando. ¡®You received something, so write a small estimate of sales.¡¯ Huhu, the more delicious the bread, the greater the sense of fanaticism. And the bread in was very delicious. I shrugged, rubbed my nose and laughed insidiously. It was a great bribe from the bread lover. By the way. ¡°¡­I signed something for the Personal Information Department, will I be safe?¡± After all, I am being chased. It was good to leave as few traces as possible. However, if I thought about it, the assumption that Gerard would use the Personal Information Department of the Fris Empire to find me was absurd. First of all, the Personal Information Department, which recorded the total number of the people of the Empire, was a first-class secret of the Fris imperial family. It meant that it would never be released until the Fris Empire was destroyed. It was equal to the probability that an Argentine official on the other side of the world would suddenly get all of Korea¡¯s resident registration information. ¡®Besides, there¡¯s no reason to ask for it in the first place.¡¯ ¡®Gerard, you don¡¯t even know I¡¯m here, do you?¡¯ Since this place was in a novel, it had its own probability. ¡®Unless you¡¯re an obsessive maniac, you won¡¯t succeed in doing such crazy things. Such as obtaining a foreign country¡¯s personal information book.¡¯ ¡°Uhh, I¡¯m a little sensitive these days¡ª¡± I was being sensitive, right? I tilted my head and entered the bakery. Ame: AHAHAHAHA Annette, you¡¯re really smart, and your thinking is really logical. But you¡¯re in a novel and there¡¯s this thing called ¡®plot¡¯ sooooo you¡¯re #Perfectly_Wrong I just know some of you, including my dear pr Tassie, will go re-read the first chapter and keep an eye out for the words ¡®Fris Empire¡¯ HAHAHAHA am I right??!! Tassie: This girl¡­. Sometimes, I¡¯m like Wow, you¡¯re really smart and other times I¡¯m like, STOP RAISING THE FLAGS YOURSELF WOMAN!!!!! On another note, IT¡¯S BEEN 6393638393 DAYS SINCE IVE SEEN MY BB SISLIN!!!!!! WHERE ARE YOU MY LOVE!!! Not ame fully on outing me lol CH 63 ¡°Should I read a newspaper?¡± I opened the newspaper, World Daily, with a peaceful mind. Then, while holding a rusk, I murmured and looked at the headlines first. ¡®Please let there not be anything special today.¡¯ ¡®May the beautiful world peace be maintained.¡¯ ¡®Well, much later¡­ The news that Sislin has become the Crown Prince will be spread around the world.¡¯ Considering the original¡ª ¡®It will take about seven years.¡¯ Even after that, if Heinrich is not charged with treason and is safe, it would be the completion of the happy ending I had devised. So it was just a few years away. That¡¯s why I subscribed to the World Daily. ¡°Huh?!¡± But reading today¡¯s headline, I couldn¡¯t contain my shock. ¡¸The hidden prince of the El Dorado Empire, ¡®Sislin von Axelferion¡¯ ¨D officially ascended as Crown Prince!¡¹ What did you say, sir? Why was this article now out¡­? Feeling a tingling sensation in the back of the head, I dropped the rusk I was nibbling on. ¡°Why is it so advanced from the original?!¡± It was an ominous sign. ¡®Without my knowledge, what the hell is going on?¡¯ ¡ªIn El Dorado. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ It was dawn in El Dorado. In the auditorium of the Axelferion Imperial Palace, the real powers were having a meeting. While Gerard and other key ministers were having this meeting, deaf maids attended to them. The emperor should be sitting on the throne and leading this arrogant crowd¡ª But there was no emperor now. Instead, a green-haired, red-eyed man was sitting on the throne. A few years ago, he took over the throne as deputy instead of the emperor, who collapsed due to an unknown cause and became paralyzed. Derek von Axelferion. The younger brother of the current emperor and Gerard¡¯s ¡®puppet¡¯. ¡°We¡¯re deciding on important matters, so don¡¯t we need to call Prince Sislin¡­?¡± Derek asked, shifting his eyes anxiously. The agenda of the meeting was to decide whether to go to war for territorial expansion, and they were gathering opinions about Sislin leading the war. It was a meeting in which the person concerned was pushed into death without knowledge. ¡°Once a decision is made, it must be followed.¡± Gerard continued to speak leisurely. ¡°This meeting is attended by my uncle, who is acting on behalf of the Emperor. Failure to comply would be disobedience to the decree, and rebellion against the Axelferion imperial family.¡± To force him into a battlefield where his life would be at risk, and if he didn¡¯t follow it, he would be committing treason. Gerard, who set the trap, laughed like a snake. ¡°¡ªI wonder if the prince would do that.¡± Bang! Just then, the door opened and a guard ran in and shouted. ¡°Big, b-big trouble!¡± Gerard¡¯s face hardened. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°The Third Prince just¡­ He¡¯s been killed!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± The meeting participants roared with shock. ¡°Si, Prince Sislin came out of his bedroom at dawn and suddenly did such a thing¡ª¡± Trembling, the guard spoke. ¡°His eyes were crazy. He¡¯s out of his mind. He¡¯s coming this way! Everyone, you should avoid¡­!¡± In an instant, the meeting participants were terrified. There were a bunch of people trying to run away. At that time, a heavy voice that could never be ignored came, crushing the people. It was Gerard. ¡°Nobody leaves.¡± ¡°Ha, hah, but if he tries to kill us too¡­!¡± It was at that moment when Derek was pleading and wondering what to do. Thud¡ª The heavy door opened wider, and there was a horrifying, creaking sound of the hinges. ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± As soon as everyone looked towards the door, their heads stood still. There stood a muscular man who was close to 190 cm tall. He was fresh out of his bedroom. From the broad shoulders to the exposed chest, and from the waist down. Black silk flowed down like a wave, following the overbearingly trained body. Additionally, he was drenched in blood. Obviously, it wasn¡¯t his. Everyone in the room kept their mouths shut. No one was even breathing properly, let alone talking. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± They were feeling d¨¦j¨¤ vu. It was like going back to years ago, when Sislin first began slaughtering his brothers. Ripping their necks off, killing them. In the middle of the night for no reason. On that day when the life of the fifth prince, who had the support of the emperor, was so easily taken, his mother fainted and the imperial family was terrified. Since then, Sislin had been punishing those who were fighting for power. It was not unfamiliar, of course, for princes to kill each other to become the crown prince. ¨DStill, there was something cruel about him. Like an unpredictable and ferocious beast. ¡°You all just so happen to be here.¡± A terribly low voice escaped freshly bloodstained lips. Ja-chak, tak¡ª While he walked barefoot, blood dripped onto the marble floor, leaving bright red footprints. The glint in his red eyes that could hardly be seen as sane looked at the crowd. ¡°What were you all talking about?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Flinch. The guilty ministers lowered their eyes. ¡°Oh, Prince¡­! What brought you here?¡± Derek mustered up the courage and spoke in a rather serious voice. ¡°I woke up early in the morning and I was bored.¡± The red eyes under the black hair curved. ¡°I brought a present for my uncle.¡± ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± Sislin handed over the sack himself. Derek, who had received it with a calm face, as if not trying to provoke the madman, checked the inside. And immediately, he hurled the sack away, screaming like he was experiencing a seizure. ¡°Ahhhhhhhh!¡± Tuk, tukkk¡ª Whatever that was in the bag rolled very well, over and over. Derek had a look of complete exhaustion, and the maids, who had a foreboding of what the gift was, could only let out tearful, silent screams. ¡®That crazy bastard.¡¯ Gerard gritted his teeth. It had only been a month since Sislin came back from the battlefield. He couldn¡¯t stand it and wanted to see blood? This was a meeting that was held with peace of mind, thinking that his body had not recovered. Gerard tried to throw the hateful guy back to the battlefield with the deputy¡¯s power. But the plan was thwarted, and this mess left him furious. He stepped forward, saying, ¡°Prince Sislin! Why did you have to make such a fuss at dawn?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Hazy red eyes looked at Gerard. ¡°Now we¡¯re the only ones left with the same mother.¡± All the rest of the princes were killed. All that was left was the first prince, Gerard, and his brother, Sislin, who were said to have been born by the first empress. Those red eyes twitched ¡°Brother.¡± His languid voice seemed even more threatening. ¡°I am willing to slaughter even my brother who¡¯s born of the same blood.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± ¡°Do you have any will to become the emperor?¡± It was a straightforward question. It was also a threat. The audience looked nervously at the two princes in turn. The last princes of the Axelferion imperial family. One of the two would become the crown prince. All this while, there were many princes who could succeed the emperor, so the discussion about the crown prince continued to be delayed. But now things were different. If there was only one crown prince candidate, the stable state administration could quickly appoint the crown prince in this situation where the emperor was not conscious. Thus, Gerard¡¯s answer now was more important than anything else. In Gerard¡¯s mind, he would like to face Sislin a hundred times more, but¡­ His strength was still insufficient. ¡®If I confront him here, I will die a dog¡¯s death.¡¯ Gerard responded with a shiver of shame and vomiting blood. ¡°I have no desire for imperial power.¡± His beast-like younger brother grinned. It was clear that he knew in advance what Gerard¡¯s answer would be. ¡°Then, I think we should choose the Crown Prince right here.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The unexpected losers hardened in an instant. Sislin alone sat in a chair with a calm face, beckoning leisurely as if telling them to start. An unprecedented emergency meeting has begun. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ The office of the Marquis of Hyacinth. Heinrich frowned upon hearing about what had happened in the Imperial Palace from his aide. ¡°Tch, that savage bastard. I can¡¯t do business anymore.¡± Heinrich was wearing a gorgeous jewel cravat, and his rosy lips were shining. ¡°He did everything he could to find Sister, and in the end, he even ate the crown prince¡¯s position.¡± His aide asked. ¡°¡­Does that have anything to do with Miss Annette?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Heinrich said it as if explanations were unnecessary, and looked at his face in front of the mirror. ¡°Everything he does has to do with Sister.¡± In the mirror, a handsome man with white, smooth skin and raised purple eyes were facing him. The fancy attire suited him more than anyone else. He was over 180cm tall, and his lips were red to the point that he looked erotic. Like he grew up eating only precious things. Heinrich swept his silver hair in satisfaction. Then he mumbled. ¡°Perhaps he¡¯s searching for her every moment, even as he breathes and rests?¡± ¡°¡­How do you know that?¡± ¡°That bastard¡¯s way of thinking is obvious.¡± His cheeks gleamed in a beautiful way, and the corners of his red lips twisted. The eyes on his beautiful face shone gently toward the aide. ¡°He¡¯s just like me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Those eyes were terribly crazy. A look that only those who had longed for and had been obsessed with one thing for a very long time could have. For a moment, Heinrich frowned as if the thought had suddenly come to him. ¡°But what happens to my title of Grand Duke if that young beast becomes Crown Prince?¡± Heinrich was to receive the title of ¡®Grand Duke¡¯ today. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ The meeting to decide the crown prince was quickly over. Gerard advised Derek to postpone the decision, saying, ¡®You can¡¯t decide the crown prince¡¯s position hastily,¡¯ and ¡®don¡¯t give up power easily¡¯. Derek said, trembling. ¡°Oh God, what good is power when you die! I¡¯ll just give up¡­ I¡¯m so scared, it¡¯s so scary, Prince Sislin is insane.¡± Thus, the Crown Prince of El Dorado was decided. The person who would represent the imperial power in place of the fallen emperor. It was Sislin von Axelferion. Derek made the announcement himself, and everyone applauded. ¨DInwardly, he was suppressing the desire to run away. Sislin received the crown directly from Derek and placed it on his head. Then he sat at an angle, almost lying on the throne, and laughed. ¡°That dressing and posture¡­¡± Gerard clenched his fist and gritted his teeth. ¡°What an attitude for the throne. It is disrespectful.¡± ¡°Am I ungodly?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ll get what I want soon¡­ I¡¯m excited.¡± ¡®Haven¡¯t you already got what you want?¡¯ That was what everyone thought. However, what Sislin wanted to obtain was not the seat of the crown prince. It was to use this position to finally find Annette. Sislin picked up the grapes from the silver tray, popped them in between his white teeth, and chewed them. The sweet juices covered his tongue, and his Adam¡¯s apple bobbled as it passed down his throat. He was simply chewing the flesh, but somehow it had a deep erotic feeling. Soon, he said, ¡°Everyone, go.¡± With a low breath, Sislin¡¯s bloody hand moved. His strong muscles passed through his tight lower abdomen and finally landed on his thick thighs. ¡°Because I have to do a lot of blasphemous things to commemorate my seat on the throne.¡± Like a dog marking its territory. ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± Everyone contemplated upon his unfamiliar demeanor and ran away from the scene. Ame: HOLY SMOKESSSS!!! Sislin and Heinrich are back and¡ª HOTTER THAN EVER!! *Pterodactyl screams intensifies* Annette might not be ready for them, but who cares??? Tassie: I literally was not ready for this chapter. HOW DID HE BECOME SO HOT AND JUST MY TYPE OMGGG IM SOBBING THROWING UP PUNCHING THE WALL BARKING SOMEONE HELP ME PLEASE I WANT HIM CH 64 ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ Bang! ¡°Bastard. I should have killed him sooner!¡± Gerard smashed the table. There were veins of blood bulging on his forehead. ¡®I should¡¯ve gotten rid of him earlier.¡¯ Earlier¡ª! He should have strangled that damn Sislin when he first came to the Imperial Palace. No, he should have settled him while he was in the Forest. He should have recognized that he wasn¡¯t just a boy with the common features of dark hair and red eyes, but that he was imperial. That he was also his younger brother. Emperor Axelferion was born with red eyes, but in fact, there were people with red eyes everywhere. It was not unique to the imperial family. Furthermore¡­ There was a big reason Gerard didn¡¯t foresee his existence. ¡®I thought he was dead. Already.¡¯ ¡°Gerard, as you have ordered, we have treated it as a ¡®stillborn¡¯.¡± ¡°What about the infant¡¯s body?¡± ¡°I have confirmed that he is already dead.¡± Long ago, when his brother was born, it was him who ordered that he be treated as a stillborn and killed. It was obvious that the f*cking maid had lied. Nine years ago, the child he believed that was dead returned. Also, born with the power of ¡®Mephisto¡¯, which was characteristic of the empress. The boy proved himself by mixing his own blood with the Holy Grail of Axelferion, which confirmed the bloodline of the imperial family. And he became one of nine princes in total. The boy¡¯s eyes were always empty. His face never smiled at all. Gerard hated the creepy and blank face that was not like a child¡¯s. He wanted to strangle the boy who was even born with their mother¡¯s ability ¨C that he himself didn¡¯t have. That was why. ¨DHe pushed the boy into the fracture of hell, ¡®Crevasse¡¯. The Crevasse was a kind of dimensional transfer gate, and were used as a tool to punish felons where even the death penalty was insufficient. When sucked into the crack, one would be surrounded by demons and have his or her flesh eaten alive and bones gnawed, experiencing extreme pain and fear. One hour in Crevasse was several years in real life. If one fell into the crack even once and came out, he or she would have to struggle in pain every minute and second for decades. Hence, anyone who had been there¡ª Their mind would be completely broken, and they would become maniac in fear. But Sislin was different. He was very fine. He looked empty as usual, and just had a face that didn¡¯t feel anything as usual. ¡°¨DBrother, ever since I went to Crevasse, my abilities have become stronger.¡± For the first time, he said something while laughing. Then, with his increased powers, he began to pick and kill his half-brothers one by one. In fact, the emperor¡¯s children were characterized by strong abilities and a sense of authority, so each one was a formidable opponent. However, since then, by his own volition, Sislin started entering the Crevasse over and over again, and when he came out, his ability was strengthened like a monster. He killed his brothers in the middle of the night each time he went, as if it was a reward for the long torment. A blood-crazed monster. Was his mind ripped out in the Crevasse? Gradually, the life in his eyes faded, and he could not sleep properly for a single night without taking medicine to calm his sensitive senses due to his enhanced ability. Those tired red eyes were fear itself. ¡°¡­In the end, I pushed him into the battlefield to calm him down.¡± The monstrous bastard conquered a strange country and returned alive from the battlefield. ¨DA country that had nothing to do with El Dorado! Was it the Michela Empire? It was also a country that was stubborn and good at fighting. When Sislin returned safely from the battlefield, the fourth prince killed himself out of fear. He couldn¡¯t bear living with the human being who killed his brothers while sleeping like slaughtering a pig in a butcher¡¯s . And it happened in less than a month¡ª Today¡¯s tragedy. Gerard grabbed his hair. ¡°If Father had been fine, he would have objected to such a madman becoming the Crown Prince¡­!¡± Clink! The glass in Gerard¡¯s hand fell and smashed into pieces. He exhaled, seemingly in despair. ¡°The monster is out of control now.¡± His aide who was watching the situation, Avilus Theses, answered. ¡°But at least he¡¯s not being violent towards you, who has the same mother. He thinks of you as an older brother¡ª¡± ¡°What a stupid thing to say.¡± Gerard snapped at his words. ¡°That guy has long been the object of fear among the people of El Dorado. So he deliberately kept me alive because I have a good reputation.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°To neutralize the fear-stained image of the Axelferion.¡± It was a clever choice. Hence, it felt more intimidating. ¡°When my reputation goes down and becomes obsolete, he will throw me as dog food.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Now there is only one way to take the Crown Prince out.¡± A familiar name came out of Gerard¡¯s lips. ¡°Annette.¡± His red eyes glistened. ¡°She has become my only hope.¡± If he gets his hands on Annette. If he really awakened the ¡®first sorcerer¡¯s soul¡¯. Gerard would be worthy of going against his monstrous powers. She was, of course, the girl he had been looking for for over 10 years but could not find¡ª Now, things have changed a bit. ¡°Avilus, there is no reason to find her secretly now. Find her openly.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°It has been a long time since the Crown Prince and my search has been exposed.¡± Sislin, that obsessive madman, had been looking for Annette for over 10 years, just like Gerard. Now that he became the Crown Prince, it was obvious that he would pursue her more openly. He would do so more actively, using his power and position. On the other hand, there were quite a few obstacles in this side¡¯s ¡®secret pursuit¡¯, but there was no need for that anymore. It was his turn to become even more tenacious and desperate. ¡°Amplify the pursuit team forces by tenfold, and send them all to find Annette.¡± ¡°All right.¡± ¡°And watch the Crown Prince¡¯s every move. Where does he go, who does he meet, what he does¡­ Report every single one of them! Tell them to bring it in exchange for death!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Krrr-ack¡ª Grabbing the sofa so hard that the leather was distorted, Gerard¡¯s obsessive voice sounded. ¡°We must find her first, that girl.¡± ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°Did you check the body?¡± The long stature lying on the sofa was huge. His eyes were red and empty. The newly crowned Sislin first asked his aide about the body. Not about his own coronation ceremony, or the newly acquired emperor¡¯s seal, only¡ª About the bodies of the pursuers chasing Annette. ¡°Yes, again, there were a lot of them in the Western Continent.¡± A man with dark green hair and scarlet eyes bowed his head and replied. Marquis Owin Herbert. He was Sislin¡¯s aide when he was an imperial prince, and he was now the crown prince¡¯s aide. His mouth was heavy and his loyalty was deep. He continued speaking, ¡°Indeed, Miss Annette seems to be in the Western Continent.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Sislin¡¯s eyes slowly closed at the name ¡®Annette¡¯. His eyes sunk into his deep eyesockets. As if to indulge in every detail of her face from the inside of his closed eyes. ¡°I will find her soon. Two wars.¡± It took a long way to get here. The process was arduous. Even when the young boy proved that he was the son of the first empress and became a prince, he had no power in the Imperial Palace. He wanted to find Annette, but he didn¡¯t even have troops to use. So, in order to gain power, to reclaim her, Sislin had to become strong quickly. Even if he had to put himself in terrible pain. She was the reason he went to the Crevasse. His mind gradually collapsed, and it became difficult to even put on clothes due to his extreme sensitivity. Like this, his body became one that could not live without medicine¡­ It wasn¡¯t until he defeated the prominent princes and he was referred to as the ¡®next Crown Prince¡¯ that Sislin had the power and troops to search for Annette in earnest. That was three years ago. ¡°There is an organization that is looking after Miss Annette. Circe helped her escape.¡± The fact that Gerard¡¯s pursuit team had failed so far. And, considering the fact that bodies that were shot by magic bullets were found everywhere. ¡°We will not chase Annette.¡± Sislin changed the paradigm of tracking. ¡°¡ªFollow the corpses.¡± It was clear that the organization must be near the subject that they wanted to protect. Bodies had been found on several continents, but there were locations where it was ¡®especially¡¯ found. Sislin and his men started tracking the bodies three years ago. ¡ªLike following Hansel and Gretel¡¯s crumbs. It was completely different in that it was meat rather than bread. The places where the bodies were found the most were in the Northern and Western continents. He couldn¡¯t narrow it down any further. Gerard¡¯s information was limited whereas Circe¡¯s defense was excellent, and the bodies were inevitably scattered according to that information. Fortunately, however, there was only one country in the Northern Continent. ¡®The Empire of Michela¡¯. It was inefficient to find Annette by scouring the bare ground, so Sislin initially secretly requested cooperation from the Emperor of Michela. And the emperor rejected the offer of a mere prince from a distant country. It resulted in a northern country far from El Dorado to ¡®perish¡¯. ¡°There is no one presumed to be Miss Annette in Michela¡¯s Personal Information Department.¡± ¡°Still, search the continent thoroughly.¡± Unfortunately, she was not in the Northern Continent. Now, only the Western Continent remained. ¡°Crown Prince.¡± Owin parted his lips and spoke politely. ¡°As you know, there are two countries in the Western Continent. ¡®The Fris Empire¡¯ and the ¡®Guillotine Kingdom¡¯.¡± This was the reason why Sislin attacked the Northern Continent ¨C there was only one country there. Now, only one option remained.. ¡°Is it one of the two?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Sislin stared into the air with tired eyes, then poured the pills into his mouth. Then he took a bottle of drink and drank it slowly. His chest shook dangerously, and then a low breath flowed from the depths of his throat. ¡°Would you like to see the map?¡± Owin politely held out the map. His master, who was lying on the sofa, slowly opened his eyes as he felt his heightened senses calm down. As much as a dull sensation, the red eyes were somewhat turbid and out of focus. With tenacious lips, he whispered softly. ¡°Just looking at the map makes me want to lick it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Where would suit Annette¡¯s taste?¡± Soon, Sislin pointed to exactly one country with his index finger. The image was captured strongly by his cloudy eyes. ¡ªIt was the Fris Empire. CH 65 ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°Why do I have chills?¡± I suddenly felt a strange feeling and looked around. It felt like someone was looking at me when I was the only one here. ¡®I have goosebumps for a moment.¡¯ I looked around, saw that no one was there, so I brought a thick blanket and wrapped it around my body. Hmm, it was probably because of the heating. ¡®When Mr. Um returns, I shall ask him to solve it. For free.¡¯ This self-employed person focused on newspaper articles again after pondering about reducing equipment repair costs. ¡ªThinking about it again, it was questionable. ¡°What the hell did you do to become Crown Prince already, Sislin?¡± He shouldn¡¯t be strong enough yet. In the original work, the abilities of the other princes were very strong. Of course, Sislin was also strong, but the other princes had relatives and power within the Imperial Palace. In order to catch up with them, Sislin ¡®built up his abilities explosively and strongly¡¯ in the original story, pressed them down with force and became the crown prince. The process took quite some time. It wasn¡¯t meant to be this fast¡­ It was when I was contemplating. In an instant, a light bulb flashed in my mind. ¡°Aha!¡± I think I know why? ¡°Did his ability improve quickly because he¡¯s happy without ¡®vengeance¡¯?¡± ¡®Ah, that sounds pretty plausible!¡¯ If you study with a happy mind, you will do better, and if you exercise happily, you will improve your abilities even more. ¡®Looks like that¡¯s the correct answer.¡¯ I let my imagination run wild. I¡¯m going to erase the image of the Sislin of the original book, which was a devastated obsessive maniac¡ª A new Sislin. Sislin, whose skin always glows after a good night¡¯s sleep without thinking about revenge. Sislin, who eats three well-balanced meals in a timely manner. Sislin, who happily practices swordsmanship. Sislin being friendly to everyone. ¡°Ummm.¡± And a Sislin that sometimes puts on phytoncide to manage stress! (TL/N: fun fact, ¡®phytoncides¡¯ are airborne chemicals that plants give off to protect themselves from insects, and an idea of the scent of phytoncide is the scent of the forest.) I sprinkled phytoncide in the air and smelled the scent with joy. When I thought of such a neat happy ending, fufu, I felt so much better. I was now just an extra on the outskirts of the main story watching the main characters, but I was happy with the feeling that everything was going well. It was also thanks to what I did well, haha! ¡°Now, all you need to do is be happy, Heinrich.¡± ¡®It can be a bit tough for Heinrich.¡¯ It was already good to be rich, but truthfully, even if you were a noble and wealthy, if you were framed as a traitor, you would be destroyed in an instant. ¡®Heinrich eventually becomes a marquis.¡¯ He would inherit the title of his adoptive father. If it ends there, it would be the most ideal happy ending for Heinrich. Palak¡ª With that in mind, I turned to the next page of the newspaper. And I was startled. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Once again, I ran into an unbelievable headline. ¡¸The wealthy wizard of El Dorado, Heinrich Hyacinth, his power now? ¨DReceives the title of Grand Duke¡¹ My eyes widened. ¡®¡­Our Heinrich is a grand duke?¡¯ ¡®Is it okay for a person with so much bullshit to become the Grand Duke?¡¯ ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°Congratulations, Grand Duke.¡± Viscount Duncan bowed his head politely. Heinrich looked pretty happy. Five minutes ago, he was awarded the title of ¡®Grand Duke¡¯. ¡°There was a great commotion at dawn, and the owner of the seal changed¡­ The title of Grand Duke has already been approved and will be conferred as scheduled. Grand Duke Heinrich.¡± There was the savagery of the young beast (Heinrich¡¯s expression to the end), but fortunately, the award ceremony was held normally. ¡ªThe award ceremony was more normal than expected. Except that the frightened Derek bit his tongue twice while reading the title documents. ¡°You have been awarded the title of Grand Duke without spilling a drop of blood.¡± Heinrich¡¯s aide, Viscount Duncan, was a man with brown hair and dark black eyes. So, like the shadow of Heinrich with gorgeous colors, the two got along well. Heinrich responded arrogantly to Duncan¡¯s words. ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? ¡­It¡¯s not elegant to set up an army or slaughter a brother or use such barbaric methods.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Wasn¡¯t this clearly a jab to ¡®someone¡¯? Duncan just smiled. If he agreed here, he would be X-ed for blasphemy against the imperial family. Of course, his master was insulting the imperial family (or to be more precise, Sislin) as he usually did, but somehow the crown prince seemed familiar with this sort of thing. ¡°You are wonderful, Grand Duke.¡± His beautiful master smiled as if satisfied with his words, raising the corners of his red lips. In order to become a ¡®Grand Duke¡¯, a person who was not originally a member of the imperial family must establish a high military command or make a significant contribution to the prosperity of the empire. Heinrich did both without shedding a drop of his own blood. He invented the ¡®large-scale teleport magic tool¡¯. Teleport itself was such a high-level magic that it was only possible to accommodate 5 people or less at the most, but the magic tool this undisputed genius created was different. It could be used to instantly teleport thousands of elite soldiers to wherever one wanted. It meant that no matter how hard the opposing country built a fortress, if the coordinates were accurate, they could infiltrate inside at once. Thanks to this, the defense power of El Dorado became the best. ¡°Ha.¡± Heinrich rolled his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m tired because I¡¯m a genius. I¡¯m a genius, I have a lot of money, and now I am even a powerful person¡ª¡± It was unfortunate, but it was a fact, so Duncan shut up. ¡®He isn¡¯t ugly in appearance either.¡¯ Other men¡¯s sense of self-doubt must have increased a bit. The combination of long eyelashes, silver hair, and eyebrows was as beautiful as a creature born with a lot of love from God. It was a famous anecdote that a young baron, revered for being quite handsome, fell from a balcony in awe when he saw Heinrichi¡¯s face (one might not believe it, but it was a true story). There was even a strangely masculine line, which made women¡¯s hearts flutter. ¡ªBut. Even such a perfect man had a fatal flaw. ¡°Heinrich Hyacinth!¡± Heinrich¡¯s face hardened at the voice that comfortably called his name. The only flaw was his character. Even the nickname was¡ª ¡®Vivantum¡¯ (¡®sociopath¡¯ in modern language). (TL/N: as far as my knowledge and google goes, I don¡¯t think ¡®???¡¯ or ¡®Vivantum¡¯ is an actual term in real life. But if by chance you know something, do let me know in the comments!) ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Duncan heard his master curse with his eyes only. Obviously, he was saying ¡®f*ck¡¯. ¡°Heinrich, I heard you received your title today?¡± Marquis Vimotes followed Heinrich into the hallway. He was accompanied by a young maid. He was a close friend of Heinrich¡¯s adoptive father, Marquis Hyacinth, and had often ignored Heinrich. ¡°Are you a monster born of a courtesan?¡± Marquis Vimotes seemed to have been quite annoyed by his close friend¡¯s chosen adoptee. ¡°I just heard about it.¡± He was still the same, still strangely disrespectful to Heinrich. Heinrich looked at him with his beautiful eyes, and asked briefly. ¡°What are you doing?¡± His voice was cool. ¡°You heard that I became the Grand Duke¡­¡± His red lips were arrogantly sweet. Heinrich grabbed the back of the old marquis¡¯ head and lowered it. And then, he dared to raise his fine eyebrows. ¡°Yet you didn¡¯t bow down right away.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± Oh, what a scoundrel, this crazy bastard. Marquis Vimotes struggled in embarrassment at the force, and shifted his eyes to appeal to Duncan, who at least seemed ¡®sane¡¯. He meant, ¡®Please stop your master.¡¯ But Duncan answered without a blink of an eye. ¡°Please be respectful to His Excellency the Grand Duke, Marquis.¡± Usually, if a person was a close friend of your father, no matter how great you became, you would not immediately trample on that person arrogantly, but Heinrich was different. His unpredictable wretchedness terrified his opponents. Heinrich whispered as he rolled his eyes. ¡°If you lift your head comfortably in front of me again¡­ I will erase that ugly face.¡± ¡°¡­I apologize, Your Excellency.¡± When Marquis Vimotes answered, trembling with insult and fear, Heinrich released his head. Having to tell him all these things one by one filled him with annoyance. It was then. ¡°Grand Duke, Your Excellency¡ª¡± A thin voice was heard from below. The voice of a young maid, who had been watching the situation, trembled. Heinrich wondered if she had just turned 10-years-old. He quickly responded with soft eyes. ¡°Yes?¡± The maid said while clenching her little hands together. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, there¡¯s something I¡¯ve always wanted to ask you¡­ M-May I dare ask?¡± ¡°Ask.¡± Willingly, Heinrich replied. Even though permission was dropped, the maid did not open her mouth easily. The child was afraid. Of something. Then, Marquis Vimotes glared. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¨DPerhaps it wasn¡¯t the maid¡¯s curiosity. ¡®Someone¡¯ must have forced her to ask something troublesome. Sure enough. A question that fit exactly what he expected has popped up. ¡°I have heard rumors that the Grand Duke kidnapped a child and used him as a magic test object¡­ It¡¯s true, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡®Well,¡¯ Heinrich smiled and patted his chin. There were all sorts of rumors about this beautiful, broken-hearted Vivantum, and that was one of them. Capturing young children and using them as test subjects. Hence, children were afraid when they saw Heinrich. However, there were those who admired the arrogant man with a dazzlingly beautiful appearance. ¡ªLike this girl now. The little maid had a fearful face, but she was blushing slightly. ¡°I heard you make dolls for children, using living children as materials¡­ It¡¯s all false rumors, right? You aren¡¯t that scary?¡± Heinrich¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Well~?¡± The 10-year-old girl was very surprised. ¡®Why doesn¡¯t he deny it¡­?¡¯ Her young maid¡¯s face expressed the thoughts of ¡®no way¡¯, and her complexion turned white. As Heinrich looked at her frightened face, his beautiful eyes curved very slowly. Just like a playful boy. Right then. Hwak! As if to devour, Heinrich teased the girl by bringing his face close. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!! Heuk.¡± Seeing the girl cry, Heinrich burst out into a mischievous laugh. Then, he grabbed the jaw of the startled marquis who stood next to her and met his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t have to make a ¡®doll¡¯ out of a child¡¯s skin.¡± Gulp¡ª Fear filled the eyes of Marquis Vimotes. When he made eye contact with him, the crazy Vivantum used a friendly tone as if he was answering the maid. His beautiful eyes gleamed and twisted. ¡°After all, it¡¯s a doll, so ¡®adult skin¡¯ is also worth using.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± The marquis¡¯s purple lips trembled. When Heinrich let go of his jaw, Marquis Vimotes collapsed in his place, completely horrified. ¡°¡­Tsk, everyone is weak.¡± Heinrich, who lived up to the nickname of ¡®Vivantum¡¯, left the hallway leisurely. Very elegant, relaxed despite having made a mess of everything. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡ªThe rumors were not completely nonsense. Half right, half wrong. Because Heinrich was making his own ¡®Annette¡¯. Entering his own office, Heinrich knelt in front of the statue of a girl. CH 66 Heinrich took her into his arms. Her intertwined eyes seemed to be okay even if the other person was a soulless, inorganic doll. ¡°Sister¡­¡± Duncan looked at the scene. His mad master, after passionately loving a woman who could not be captured like a phantom for a very long time, eventually ¡®made¡¯ her with his own hands. Was he just crazy, or was he a genius? ¡®It¡¯s both.¡¯ It would be an impossible mission unless it¡¯s the best wizard. ¡°Did you feel lonely because you were alone?¡± A voice filled with thirst and tenacity came out. Duncan looked familiar with such a Heinrich, who spoke carefully to the statue of a girl who was really nothing more than a statue. In fact, the existence of ¡®Annette¡¯ was familiar to Duncan. Ever since he first met his master, that name had appeared several times a day. He heard that she parted with him when he was young. ¡ªAt this point, a question arises. To Annette. ¡®¡­What the hell did you do to that man when you were young?¡¯ What did she do to him, who only longed for her, and grew up as a twisted adult who craved only her? Duncan first saw the statue two years ago. ¡°Are you making a homunculus?¡± ¡°No. The ¡®Annette¡¯ I¡¯m making is my 11-year-old sister. She is not like a soulless doll.¡± Heinrich looked high. After a long time, he smiled happily. ¡°If I make the past ¡®Annette¡¯, she¡¯ll take me to her present self.¡± Was that possible? ¡ªThe question was meaningless. Because that undisputed genius was constantly making history in the magic world. ¡°I have a question, Your Excellency.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Duncan asked his master who held the statue and answered as if he was drunk. ¡°You said last time. To make Miss Annette, she has to be no different from her 11-year-old self.¡± Could it be that his master was really ¡®losing his mind¡¯ and was clinging to the impossible? Without hope, he could die. ¡°¡­You said it had been more than 10 years since you¡¯ve parted. It is unreasonable to remember everything exactly the same.¡± Heinrich¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Duncan.¡± Then he softly grinned. Heinrich began to touch the girl bit by bit with his own hands. First, the gentle eyes. ¡°I remember everything. The eyes she looked at me with.¡± Next was the cold nose. ¡°Her breath.¡± And then the lips that didn¡¯t smile. ¡°The smile she made towards me at each moment. No, each strand of hair, and movement of her eyelashes. Even the smallest habits and tone of voice¡ª¡± Not a single bit of her from him. ¡°I can¡¯t forget it.¡± Duncan somehow knew. The reason Heinrich was so twisted. It was not that his master had not forgotten, but that it was ¡®always on his mind¡¯. Loving and missing her would have been a force majeure. He must have lived with his irresistible longing as his noose. Duncan quietly left the room. So that Heinrich, who fell into his own world, could spend time alone with her. Heinrich lowered his eyelashes. ¡°Sister¡­¡± As he looked at her, his eyes fluttered wildly. His purple eyes, dyed with tenacity and obsession, gradually darkened¡­ Soon, his red, moonlit lips moved. ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon.¡± ¡ªIt was really not long now. ¡®I¡¯m excited that I¡¯m going crazy.¡¯ ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ I was startled and grabbed my arms. ¡°Why am I getting goosebumps so often today¡­?¡± Why? Who¡¯s plotting my murder? I hurriedly looked around, but, uhh, there was no one there. I made a cup of hot chocolate, took a sip, and sat down again. ¡°Hehe, it¡¯s delicious.¡± Then I laughed without any tension. I probably got goosebumps from seeing shocking headlines 2 times in a row. ¡®Suddenly Sislin became the Crown Prince, and Heinrich became the Grand Duke.¡¯ I was just surprised. Wasn¡¯t that like an ending story? I was quite intrigued by the story that progressed faster than expected, and I tapped my chin. ¡®¡­Then is it really a happy ending?¡¯ I was overwhelmed with joy and I indulged in my imagination for a moment. Sislin, who grew up with ¡®happiness energy¡¯ and became the crown prince early. Heinrich, Professor of Magic Tools, gained riches and even became an Archduke! ¡ªYou two must have become friendly with each other, right? Below the headline, there was news that Heinrich had made something very useful for national defense called ¡®mass teleport¡¯. ¡®Sislin¡¯s at war.¡¯ The two must have gotten along pretty well. I shrugged and imagined a scene between the two main characters. ¡°Hahaha, thanks to Sislin, El Dorado¡¯s defense is strong? Thank you so much, Your Highness the Crown Prince?¡± Heinrich winked and shot finger hearts with his hand. ¡°Oh, my friend. It¡¯s all thanks to you, haha!¡± Sislin scratched the back of his neck shyly and smiled broadly. ¡®Ah, this is really¡­¡¯ It¡¯s touching. I felt the tip of my nose twitch, and I put my hands on my chest that seemed to be stuffy with emotions. ¡°The kids have grown up so well.¡± It was sudden, but it was definitely a happy ending. The probability that Heinrich would suddenly be called a traitor was almost 0%. I smiled in excitement. The novel that I read with anxiety for more than 10 years and participated in and created by myself finally had a happy ending. Indeed, it was a perfect ending. ¡°This is not the time for this!¡± I jumped out of my seat. ¡°Isn¡¯t it right to hold a commemorative party?¡± ¡®Isn¡¯t it?¡¯ I would like to congratulate the two of them personally, but I couldn¡¯t do that. Even in this distant town of Bayonaire, let¡¯s invite a small group of people so that they could be congratulated by many. ¡°It¡¯s going to be really fun.¡± A celebration party to commemorate the flower road completion! I praised myself for coming up with such a good idea, wrote the invitations, contacted World Daily and informed them that I would subscribe to the newspaper only this time (a thrifty self-employed person always thought of saving money). ¡°I have to bake the cake myself¡­!¡± Fufu, it¡¯s a happy bread lover¡¯s party. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ During the dark evening. There was a dark shadow around . ¡°It must be that bakery.¡± His true identity was the last member of ¡®Delphi¡¯. The Delphi was a notorious dark top on Bayonaire Island. (TL/N: ?? ¨C historic word for group of merchants.) Like a villain, he wanted money. The profit earned by the popular bakery must be substantial. ¡®Shall I scare her today?¡¯ After all, the weak owner lived alone in that house. He confirmed in advance that the redhead (assistant baker, like a wolf) wasn¡¯t there today. So today was perfect. ¡°Kekekek.¡± The weak bakery owner would shed tears and pay a sum even if he scared her a little. The rat of Delphi slyly laughed. ¡®How much should I rip?¡¯ ¡°¡­20% of the sales would be enough.¡± Delphi made up his mind and put on a black mask. Shashasak¡ª Soon, his shadow was sucked in softly. To the very peaceful log bakery. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°Yes?¡± I raised my head as I suddenly felt puzzled. ¡°Why is the light off?¡± The gas lamp that was always lit in the front of the small bakery at night suddenly went out. ¡®Is there a problem with the gas pipeline?¡¯ The store was using Sordi¡¯s power of light as a secondary light, but that was during the day. At night, it basically relied on the gas lamps and candles provided by the empire. If the bakery was too bright during the night, other people in town would find it suspicious. ¡®But even if it¡¯s dark, it¡¯s too dark, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ ¡°Hmm¡­¡± I paused from writing the and looked at the window. The gas light didn¡¯t seem to have any intentions to turn on. ¡®Is it a problem with the old gas pipeline?¡¯ Wouldn¡¯t it be nice if you could fix things like that in advance instead of just managing the personal information, hmm? You were just thinking about collecting money. I, a conscientious taxpayer and self-employed person, kicked my tongue at the lax welfare. ¡®The Fris Empire will only come to their senses after they¡¯re destroyed.¡¯ It was then that I shook my head and picked up the pen again. Klaaackk. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± What is this sound? Kree-aack! ¡°¡­¡­!¡± I stood up from my seat. It was definitely a sound from downstairs, from the kitchen. But that wasn¡¯t the sound of a mouse or a cat? It sounded like a dull noise made by something larger. ¡®Thief?¡¯ Saliva pooled in my mouth. ¡®Or the tracking team sent by Gerard?¡¯ I nervously picked up the pot (the soup was finished) on the table. Then, sneakily, I headed downstairs. Like a cat¡¯s light, fluffy steps that were like a very thick and soft jelly. It was not long before I got to the kitchen. ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± I ran into an unexpected person. An innocent stag with soft hair like an autumn wheat field, and brilliant emerald eyes. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡ªIt was Kyle. Kyle was subduing the mysterious Delphi assailant with a large hand, and before Annette could see, he quickly removed the dangerous object (a shotgun he had pressed against the man¡¯s jaw). Annette asked blankly. ¡°Uh, Mr. Kine?¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± When Kyle made eye contact with Annette, his cheeks flushed with embarrassment as if he had forgotten the current situation. Like a boy who met his first love. He placed one hand on his chest (a question mark appeared in the man¡¯s head, who suddenly became free), and he smiled politely and prettily like a flower. ¡°Owner. Hello.¡± Puck¨C!! The opportunistic man punched Kyle¡¯s face. ¡°Kyaaak, Mr. Kine?!¡± Ame: Kyle, TPO?! But anyways, Annette isn¡¯t the only one with an overactive imagination, so do I. I can just see it now¨C ¡ªSislin, Heinrich and Kyle overcome their rivalry and differences and join hands to protect Annette against the big, bad Gerard! Armed with Mephisto, magic tools and magic guns, they¡¯ll be the best squad the world has ever seen! Um and Sordi can watch over the young ones two steps back. Avengers who? mHM, perfect ending, if i do say so myself HAHAHA guys, i¡¯m just joking, this isn¡¯t real Tassie: Not only does Annette have an overactive imagination, Ame does too XD (That¡¯s what makes her cute tho) But seriously Heinrich shooting off finger hearts has me pissing myself lmao CH 67 The assailant shouted triumphantly. ¡°Kekek, I came from the dark guild! In the future, I will manage . If you hand over 20% of your monthly sales, you will keep your life!¡± Without hesitation, the pot Annette was holding flew through the air. Klang¨C! The man who had been hit in the head (he was surprised at the power of the bakery owner for a moment) hurriedly corrected his demand. ¡°¡­Every time, 10% of sales!¡± Kwang!! ¡°J-Just, 5%!¡± Kwang!!! The assailant stumbled, bleeding from his nose, and then ran away through the door (at first he was distracted and almost entered the furnace). ¡°¡ªI can¡¯t give the sales.¡± It couldn¡¯t happen. The self-employed person said firmly with a gaze that was like a maniac¡¯s. Then she put the pot away and hurriedly supported Kyle, who was lying on the floor. ¡°Mr. Kine, are you okay?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Kyle had a slightly moved face. To her, and the pot¡¯s performance. ¡°You are so wonderful, Owner.¡± ¡®Whoa, whoa, whoa. Did my coolness show?¡¯ Annette smiled happily, flicked her nose, and lifted him up. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ Fortunately, the kitchen wasn¡¯t very messy. The cleanup was done quickly. Mr. Kine said he came to see me and found a suspicious shadow in the kitchen. And there was a physical fight. I put marshmallows on hot cocoa and gave them to Mr. Kine and asked, ¡°You seemed to be winning, but why did you let go of his arm and say hello like a fool?¡± ¡°¡­It was so nice to meet the owner, and I forgot we were fighting for a moment.¡± ¡°Oh my God.¡± ¨DYou mean you forgot about that? It was like seeing a retriever who threw away its chew toy and rushed towards its owner upon seeing him or her. I blinked for a moment, then pointed to the wilted bouquet, slightly squashed from the fight. ¡°Did you bring this bouquet to give to me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± He made a slightly sad face. ¡°¡­It¡¯s crushed. I will bring you something even prettier tomorrow.¡± But it¡¯s pretty enough. As if only the most coveted of snowflakes falling for the first time were collected, the pure white and fragrant bouquet was quite beautiful. ¨DBesides, he was thinking of coming to the bakery tomorrow too! ¡®He¡¯s a great regular.¡¯ This was not enough even if I gave him the title of ¡®man who likes bread¡¯. The bread lover smiled happily and put the bouquet he brought into the vase. ¡°The flowers are crushed, but the fragrance is not.¡± I was afraid he might be upset, so I smelled the scent and said so with a smile. ¡°¡­Is that so.¡± He laughed happily. It was a somewhat touched face. ¡°The owner is also nice to talk to.¡± Then he added, ¡°¡­You were always kind to everyone.¡± ¡®It doesn¡¯t seem like we¡¯ve known each other for so long that you can speak in the past tense with an expression that¡¯s as if you¡¯re recalling something, Regular.¡¯ To bring flowers to the baker who lives alone at night. This was obviously¡ª ¡®He has something to ask you.¡¯ ¡ªOffering a bribe! It would have been better if it was something to eat. This innocent stag didn¡¯t know the basics of bribery. ¡°Actually, I have something to tell you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Coming all the way here tonight to offer bribes, I was sure he had something important to say. ¡°Please speak.¡± I readily answered, and smiled softly. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Mr. Kine adjusted his posture as if he was a little nervous for some reason. A wonderfully handsome face looked at me. He carefully licked the plump lips under his cool, outstretched nose. ¡°Actually¡ª I have something I¡¯ve been wanting to tell you for a long time.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Miss Annette.¡± The ¡®name¡¯, which he exhaled like a difficult breath, felt that it was something not easy for him to call, so it had a very formal feel. I focused on his words. The man¡¯s large hand touched his heart. He swallowed his breath with his cheeks flushed red, and spoke with difficulty. ¡°You, like, ist¡­¡± His voice was a little low. I raised my eyebrows and asked. ¡°Ist?¡± Would I like to use you as an assistant? Could I give you an early morning discount? ¡®What?¡¯ I listened to the following words. As I looked at him, I ate bread little by little like a chinchilla who was sparing food (but my eyes were serious). I couldn¡¯t concentrate when I was hungry. I think I was too nervous earlier, so my digestive system was churning. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± He looked at me like that, and bit his plump lips. Then, his eyes softened as if he was looking at a cute little animal. ¡°¨DI forgot what I was going to say.¡± ¡°Yes?!¡± He exhaled and laughed. ¡°I think I hit my head hard when I fell earlier.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± I grabbed the bread I was eating, stood up, and hugged him. ¡°Speed is key for concussion treatment!¡± ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡®Fortunately or not.¡¯ I looked closely into his soft brown hair, like a field of wheat in autumn, but nothing came out of it. Hmm, no brain hemorrhage. But there were scratches on his handsome face. His lips were chapped, and there was blood dried up on the corners of his thick lips (it felt like a national loss, and I was offended). ¡°Aren¡¯t you not feeling well?¡± He quietly shook his head. I was a little puzzled because he really didn¡¯t look sick. ¡®You must have grown up nicely, but this doesn¡¯t hurt?¡¯ ¡®Unexpectedly, he can take quite a bit of blows?¡¯ As I opened the first aid kit, I said, ¡°It¡¯s fine though. A regular customer gave me a very good ointment, so if I apply this, you will get well soon!¡± He smiled happily. ¡°Thank you, Owner.¡± He was holding a mug of cocoa in his big hand, and it looked so small that it looked like a 100ml size mug. Meanwhile, the hot cocoa made his square-rimmed glasses foggy. Oh my. ¨DWasn¡¯t he pretty much drinking blindly? I thought it was a little cute because a big man was doing it in a gentle way. ¡°It¡¯ll sting.¡± I warned him, picking up a cotton ball with tweezers and tapping his lips. The man sat quietly. Holding the cocoa cup in one hand. ¡®He¡¯s a man without aggression like a stag.¡¯ Zero attack power? Thinking back, it was funny that he said hello (and very politely) there. No, originally, stags have a dirty personality. But really, no matter how tall and muscular this man was (his muscles were checked while we were shopping), it was clear that his heart was tender. ¨DWasn¡¯t he less aggressive than a stag? I said with a little affection towards him. ¡°I really don¡¯t think you can kill even a single ant, Mr. Kine.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve never properly killed an ant, have you? You¡¯re so nice. I mean, look at your face. It looks just like that.¡± He took a sip of hot cocoa, his eyes wide open. Ah, for some reason, there was no answer? It was the same expression as when the owner of the fruit shop asked if we were ¡®newlyweds.¡¯ ¡­Why does he look a little double-hearted? I teased him a little more. ¡°I¡¯m really worried about how you¡¯ll live in this difficult world.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t for me, you would have suffered a lot from the thug, didn¡¯t you? If it weren¡¯t for me and my valiant pot, you would have lost your life.¡± ¡°¡ªThank you, Owner. I will give my life to you.¡± He seriously touched his chest. ¡°This body too.¡± ¡­I didn¡¯t mean it that way. ¡®Don¡¯t do that. Don¡¯t get too close to the dictionary meaning of ¡®Owner¡¯.¡¯ It sounds kind of weird. I shook my head, took a little ointment and brought it to the corner of his lips. My finger touched his wound. ¡°Ah.¡± The juicy lips parted. With a low moan scratching the inside of his neck. ¡°Pain?¡± His lips brushed against my finger. ¡°¡­It tickles.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± For a moment, in the long breath of the man, the candle shook. His lips, jawline, and cheekbones were clearly visible in the shimmering light. ¡ªI felt a strange sense of tension for a moment. Candles were all there was in the dark bakery, the gas lamps were still not lit. I was looking at his lips for the treatment, while he only had a dark gaze on my face. Normally, he didn¡¯t even make eye contact. Apparently, when I was not looking at him, it was easier for him to look at me. I tried my best to ignore that gaze, and when I applied the ointment, Grip¡ª The large hand that was holding the chair was gently strained. As if resisting an impulse. ¡®¡­The atmosphere is strange.¡¯ I stopped the treatment and said something playful on purpose. ¡°Right. Come to think of it, when you drink cocoa, your glasses get cloudy, don¡¯t they? How about taking it off for a while when drinking something hot?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡ªLike this!¡± I snatched off his glasses with both hands. ¡°Are your eyes very bad? Can¡¯t you see me like this?¡± It was then. A large, warm hand gently grabbed my wrist, narrowing the distance. The moment the candle flickered, we became so close that I could barely breathe. He lowered his long eyelashes. ¡°In this way, I can see you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± His deep, low voice rang out. The strangely flushed man, looking straight into my eyes, whispered while carefully placing my hand on his hot lips. ¡°Healing is not over yet, Owner.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I decided to amend my judgment on him. ¡®You have attack power, quite a bit.¡¯ CH 68 ¡°Annette!¡± Just then, there was a knock on the door. ¡ªNice timing. I could tell who it was just by hearing his voice. As soon as I opened the door, I saw the face I was expecting. It was Noah. ¡°Annette, are you okay?¡± The boy with pink hair and blue eyes was holding a whopping scythe. It looked like he had come with something that could be used as a weapon. ¡°Someone cut off the gas pipeline, so all the gas lights in front of Annette and my house went out¡­ So I got worried and came.¡± ¡°Oh my God, who cut it off on purpose?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s the work of that strange man.¡± Mr. Kine intervened from behind. He was wearing his glasses now. Then Noah¡¯s eyes narrowed sharply. ¡°Who¡¯s this uncle?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± What do you mean by ¡®uncle? Oh, Noah. Isn¡¯t this guy too young and handsome to be called uncle? You should call him ¡®Brother¡¯. ¡°Who are you, Uncle?¡± Ummm, I guess he had no intentions of fixing it. ¡°My name is Kine. I¡¯ll protect this place, so it¡¯ll be safe. You can go back.¡± Noah crossed his arms and frowned as he skimmed the man from head to toe quite defiantly (this was the first time I ever seen such a grumpy look on Noah). ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll protect her, so you can go back, right?¡± ¡ª-Why? ¡®Why are you taunting him, Noah?¡¯ Anyway, Mr. Kine was mature, so he wouldn¡¯t accept such provocations. Mr. Kine raised the corner of his lips. ¡°I think I¡¯ll definitely protect her better than a weak and small kid like you.¡± ¡®I¡¯ll take that back.¡¯ Noah replied with a very wry smile. ¡°I don¡¯t know. But I might be able to protect her better than ¡®an old man who has already been beaten up¡¯ by someone.¡± ¡®The impact is incredible.¡¯ Mr. Kine was smiling as well, but it didn¡¯t seem like he was really smiling. ¡°And I¡¯m not a kid, I¡¯m Noah, Mister.¡± ¡°Yes, kid.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but merely keep my eyes wide open between the two of them. It felt like I had just become a ¡®pressed¡¯ shrimp between the two whales. Noah raised the corners of his lips and said, ¡°I must protect Annette all night long. The danger is bigger than I thought¡­¡± Noah, with the scythe on his shoulder, came in and said, ¡°Because it might be close by.¡± I couldn¡¯t understand why he said that while looking at Mr. Kine. Then, Mr. Kine looked at me and wrote a message with her eyes. His eyes were asking for help, as if saying, ¡®Please stop him.¡¯ But I welcomed Noah. ¡°Come in!¡± ¨DThis stag actually had quite a bit of attack power. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ I regretted my decision in 10 minutes. ¡®It¡¯s too stuffy.¡¯ We were sitting across from each other at the table. To be exact, the two sat face to face, and I was stuck in between. ¡®It¡¯s a perfect position to pop my back.¡¯ It was also a position that brought back vague memories. It was like sitting between the feral chihuahua and a ferocious baby beast. It was like going back 10 years. Sometimes I suffer from unintentional rejuvenation for a while. Rumble¡ª I was startled by the sound of a boat horn from somewhere. (TL/N: boat horn aka the stomach rumbling kekek) ¡°Ah, are you hungry, you two?¡± Noah¡¯s face turned red. It was Noah. He¡¯s growing up! I had a good idea for a moment. ¡°I am hungry too, who wants chicken and vegetable soup?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the owner¡¯s cooking¡­ I am thrilled.¡± ¡°I want to eat too, Annette.¡± I smiled and put on my apron. ¡°Then I will treat my two guests properly! Please wait.¡± The evil shrimp devised an insidious plan, pulling out the largest cast iron pot with a smirk on her face. ¡®Fufu, I¡¯ll feed them till they burst.¡¯ When one¡¯s full, whether you¡¯re a child or an adult, you¡¯ll get drowsy and fall asleep early. ¡®Overeat and get drowsy?¡¯ Then they wouldn¡¯t be able to fight anymore, right? I prepared a table spread that was too hearty for a late-night snack (the two of them came in to help out in the middle, but they were kicked out one after another), and the guests ate as if they were starving. Somehow, I felt happy. ¡°Ugh.¡± Then, Noah frowned. Then he covered his mouth with his hand like a liberation army soldier being tortured (although it was too cute a bracken hand to be part of a liberation army). Noah¡¯s pink, fluffy hair trembled. ¡°Ugh, cooked carrots¡­¡± ¡°Oh, it seems you can¡¯t eat cooked carrots.¡± Mr. Kine said with a cool glow in his eyes beyond the square frame. ¡°Kids may not be able to eat well. When you become a man, you can eat it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± As if in anger, Noah trembled, then he gulped and swallowed the cooked carrot with difficulty. Pfft, Mr. Kine laughed. Then, I pointed to Mr. Kine¡¯s plate and said, ¡°But Mr. Kine left all the beans?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I caught it. The moment the eyes behind the square-framed glasses made a startled blink. Then Noah smiled wickedly and scooped out a spoonful of vegetable soup (surprisingly, that spoonful had a handful of peas). Then he said while eating proudly. ¡°You should eat the beans. If you¡¯re a ¡®man¡¯.¡± I stared at them both with narrowed eyes. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± A childish 12-year-old kid and a childish adult. No, I should correct it. There were two childish little ones (one even looked 10-years-old). How could they not fight? As I, the most manly, ate the carrot-and-bean soup at this table, I suddenly had a good idea. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± I smiled broadly. ¡°After dinner, can you two help me?¡± ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ Color pencils and little cards the size of the palm of one¡¯s hands were scattered all around. Noah was sleeping soundly. The three of us reached the stage where one finally fell asleep while writing the ¡®invitation¡¯. It was daunting to write out the invitations to the party, so I was very fortunate to have the two of them. ¡°Why is this invitation a drawing?¡± ¡°Uhh, I prepared an invitation with pictures for the neighbors who can¡¯t read!¡± I answered Mr. Kine¡¯s question. Not everyone in Bayonaire could read, Mr. Kine. That was why the menu for also had drawings of the different kinds of bread (Sordi drew it). The invitation drawing was pretty cute. It was a drawing of the residents attending a party with a cake and eating ¡®yum yum¡¯ with a smile; the character was drawn after the characteristics of the person receiving the invitation. ¡°You are so attentive, Owner¡±, Mr. Kine said, making me a little shy. I was in charge of the drawing invitations, while Mr. Kine was in charge of the invitations for those who could read. I glanced at Mr. Kine. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± He had his sleeves rolled up, revealing his thick arms, and he held a pen in his large hand and neatly wrote. Skrrr¡ª- From the tip of the pen, a rigid yet elegant flowing writing was made. Clearly, it was the handwriting of a man with formal education. And that classy accent and pronunciation. ¡®Certainly, Mr. Kine seems like a nobleman.¡¯ But why not reveal it? Anyway, it was clear that he didn¡¯t want to be treated with respect like a nobleman. I could sense that by feeling. Then I asked, ¡°By the way, Mr. Kine. Where did that guy come from?¡± How dare he cut off the gas pipe. He was a really bad guy. ¡°Seeing that he¡¯s asking for a lump sum payment, it was not done by an individual. He must have come from some ¡®organization¡¯. He must be a member of the lower ranks of the organization as they start off with such menial tasks.¡± ¨DOh my God, an organization expert? ¡®How do you know all that?¡¯ I suddenly became curious about the identity of this man and questioned, ¡°By the way, what does Mr. Kine do? Village management? ¡­Or, an academy research student? You have the image of a public official or student.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± It was then that Kyle was about to tell the truth¡ª- The eyes of the girl in front of him suddenly lit up, as if something came to her mind like lightning. ¡°Mr. Kine, Mr. Kine!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I think I know what kind of organization that guy came from!¡± ¡°Where?¡± Kyle asked with a very curious face. Annette replied confidently with her green eyes shining. ¡°Isn¡¯t it that dark guild, maybe, ¡®Larva¡¯?¡± The head of said Larva, who was in front of her, narrowed his eyes and asked. ¡°Larva¡­?¡± No way, Owner? Annette muttered, trembling like a caged rabbit without a carrot. ¡°The leader over there is a really scary person. If he had a nickname, would it be ¡®Murder¡¯?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± It was true that his nickname was ¡®Murderer.¡¯ It was true he was also a scary person. ¡°What does the master there look like? Brown hair¡­ Green eyes.¡± Kyle sneakily took Noah¡¯s beret from him and pressed it to his head, blinking quickly. Annette whispered. ¡°They say he has a big cut on his face and he looks like a troll!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it really scary and terrifying?¡± ¡°¡­I am a research student.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Kyle hurriedly pointed to himself and smiled; it was a smile that was as if it had been painted. ¡°I am a research student, Owner.¡± ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡®I¡¯m a researcher.¡¯ It was absurd to tell such a pathetic lie. A dawn deep in the moonlight. Kyle silently looked at Annette¡¯s sleeping face. In her little hand was an invitation. ¡ªThat¡¯s the title. She said that she would hold a party to commemorate the happy endings of the characters in the novel and send them away. ¡®How can you be so immersed in reading a novel?¡¯ It was a lovely hobby. People who read novels are romantics. Kyle liked that side of Annette. The aspects that he didn¡¯t have were pretty and cute. ¡°¡­Ummmm.¡± Kyle gently carried Annette in his arms, who tossed and turned slightly. She was surprisingly soft, small, and fragrant. His heart was pounding tremendously. Afraid that she might break if handled too hard, Kyle walked to her bedroom on the second floor, gentle as if holding a little bird. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The moonlight shone on the two of them as he looked down at her lovingly as he held her in his arms. The man who introduced himself falsely in embarrassment¡ª Soon after, he confessed in a low, cautious voice, fearing that she would wake up. ¡°I am Kyle Winston. I¡¯ve fallen for a girl who gave me a squirrel mask and I¡¯ve been protecting her all my life.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Now I¡¯m the head of Larva, and the name I use in the dark guild is ¡®Kine¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Let me briefly introduce myself again¡ª¡± Under the moonlight, there was a friendly smile in Indian dimples and emerald eyes. ¡°I¡¯m Kyle Winston, who¡¯s in love with you.¡± Ame: Once again, where do I get a cutie like Kyle!?!?!! Sislin my boy, you got competition. Ah, you too Heinrich, you too¡­ Tassie: #NotMyML no matter how goddamn cute he is. Man I¡¯m a sucker for a world in sheep¡¯s clothing XD CH 69 ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ I woke up to the bright morning sunlight. ¡°Huh.¡± I slept well. I slept really well. Umm, this feeling of sleeping deeply without even dreaming. ¡®It¡¯s the best.¡¯ I tossed and turned a little while clutching the soft blanket. Then I suddenly remembered last night. ¡°What?¡± Why am I lying in bed? As soon as I thought of that, I narrowed my eyes. Come to think of it, I was with Mr. Kine yesterday and fell asleep at the table on the first floor. I couldn¡¯t remember anything after that. Did Mr. Kine move me here? Just then, tok tok¡ª A knock was heard from the bedroom door. ¡°Mr. Kine?¡± ¡°¡­This is Noah, Annette.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± The door opened and a pink cotton ball-like head peered inside. I asked Noah about Mr. Kine¡¯s whereabouts, but Noah said he did not know. He wasn¡¯t even on the first floor. Did he go first? ¡®I couldn¡¯t even say thank you.¡¯ Yesterday, I was pretty grateful to the stag. He captured the thug (although, of course, he literally gave him a brief ¡®hold¡¯), but he wrote half of the invitations in pretty handwriting. It was he who carried the sleeping Noah. He moved him quite carefully and covered him with the warmest quilt, and I was impressed by the kindness of his pats on Noah. ¡®Mr. Kine probably left in the middle of the night.¡¯ Well, he must be busy. I wondered how much he must study as a research student. In the first place, asking him to stay all night was an absurd greed. In fact, even though I was the ¡®pot wielding master¡¯ (I was almost able to chase away demons with a pot), I couldn¡¯t help but feel a little uneasy, thus I was grateful that he was by my side. After Noah left, I started the morning by making the bed. And then; I found an unused mug on the bedside table. ¡®Did Mr. Kine put this here?¡¯ I was a little surprised when I unconsciously picked up the mug. ¡°Ah.¡± ¡ª-The mug was still warm. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ After breakfast with Noah, the busy and lively schedule of started. First of all, an official came in the morning to check the condition of the gas pipe and ask about the thug. I answered diligently, and the official concluded that it would take some time to fix the gas pipe. A few days meant that I had to live in darkness at night. It¡¯s annoying, but I ordered some oil for the lamps. After that, a salesman of World Daily came and persuaded me that he would give me a bicycle if I extended my subscription, but I flatly refused (after that, I kicked out his business tactic by putting a set of pots on the bicycle). In the end, the salesman left and I received only one more copy. After some of that hustle and bustle had disappeared. ¡°Whew. I¡¯ve been a little busy today.¡± It was when I sighed. Ding ding¡ª The door opened with a light chime, and guests rushed in again. ¡®Oh my gosh, I¡¯m going crazy. What a popular bakery?¡¯ I snorted, thinking about my self-employed rich lady plan, and then said hello. ¡°Welcome to !¡± But it was a little strange. Not the guests who came in the front, but the status of the last two ¡®guests¡¯. The two weren¡¯t in a party, one was too young to come alone and the other¡ª ¡®You aren¡¯t supposed to come at this time?¡¯ Because it was Mr. Kine. I asked the child first. ¡°Lily, are you here alone?¡± She was a three-year-old child, with front teeth the size of a grain of rice. ¡°Uung, becwase I¡¯m gwoing to bwuy bwued (Yes, because I¡¯m going to buy bread).¡± Looking out of the bakery, Lily¡¯s mother was looking inside with a curious expression on her face. ¨DWell, she lost to the stubbornness of a three-year-old. I followed by greeting the other guest, who was much taller than the three-year-old, more than twice the size. ¡°Hello! Mr. Kine.¡± ¡°Hello.¡± Emerald eyes fixed towards me. I wanted to talk more, but right then, a customer came in between us and asked about the bread, so it became difficult to continue talking. ¡ªFirst of all, business. This self-employed person who knew the sweetness of high sales kindly treated the customers. Meanwhile, Mr. Kine looked around the shelves with the three-year-old who had rice-grain teeth. Mr. Kine was tall, so when he was with Lily, it looked like he was with a ¡®small hot dog¡¯. It was cute, so I laughed secretly. ¡®But he¡¯s very shy.¡¯ From time to time, I made eye contact with Mr. Kine, and every time he did, he avoided my eyes. ¨DOh my God, he¡¯s like that even after spending the night together? He was a bread fan with great shyness. At that moment, with her pigtails slightly tilted, Lily said. In front of the baguette. ¡°I lwike thish (I like this)?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± She was talking to Mr. Kine who stood next to her. Mr. Kine said to the baby hotdog. ¡°Well. Great.¡± ¡ªIt was a satisfactory answer. I really liked him, who recognized the charm of the signature baguette of . I added a ribbon to the packaging and smiled happily. The baby hotdog nibbled the bread with her grain-sized teeth. ¡°Do you lwike bwuead (Do you like bread)?¡± ¡°Like.¡± This time he answered in a lower voice, affectionately and with respect to the baby. ¡®Fufu, it¡¯s cute.¡¯ Just listening to it was healing, so I stopped packing for a while and looked at the two warmly. ¡°Do ywu lwike it (do you like it)?¡± It was then. Mr. Kine¡¯s eyes met mine. ¡°¡­I like it.¡± The emerald-colored eyes looked at me intently as he answered. For a little, my heart tickled, somehow. ¡°Keuk, kkeuk¡±, I coughed and started concentrating on packing the bread. ¡®What, why are you looking at me while answering her?¡¯ His cheeks were blushing as he spoke while staring at me. ¡®You should speak to the baby hotdog.¡¯ ¡®Sometimes, you look at me in a strange way, hogu regular.¡¯ (TL/N: I can¡¯t remember if I explained this last time or not, but ¡®??¡¯ is slang for pushover, a person who is so foolish that everyone use her/him for their own benefits.) After long deliberation, the baby hot dog bought a baguette (the baguette was the size of her own body) and sausage bread, and mumbled, ¡°Bwuead¡­¡± while she happily toddled away. It was after all the guests had left. Mr. Kine approached me. ¡°Owner.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I saw you yesterday, and I¡¯m seeing you again today.¡± Thanks to this, he was promoted to ¡®bread fan¡¯, and he smiled with a nice face like an angel. It was a pleasant smile that made people smile along. He hesitated for a moment, then offered a bouquet of flowers. I smiled without hesitation. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Kine.¡± Maybe it was because of yesterday¡¯s promise. ¡°¡­It¡¯s crushed. I will bring you something even prettier tomorrow.¡± He seemed to have a really good memory. Seeing how he came to keep the small promises he made in passing. Today¡¯s bouquet was equally fragrant and pretty. When I was looking at the bouquet with a smile; ¡°Huh?¡± There was a small card in the bouquet. ¨DNo, looking back, it wasn¡¯t a card. It was a ¡®business card¡¯. Black color. I thought cynically. ¡®As expected ¨C you approached me because you had something to sell.¡¯ I should have known from the time when such a handsome, flower stag-like man kept hanging around and giving bribes. The cynical self-employed person looked at his business card, thinking, ¡®Tsk, I got hit.¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­?¡± The business card was engraved with a small pattern (a black sheep) and an L. And ¡®unknown address¡¯. ¡ªThat was all. I twirled the business card between my fingers and waved it. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°After closing today, could you come to this address?¡± He had a pretty serious face. It didn¡¯t look like he was trying to sell anything, and it wasn¡¯t a business card related to baking tools, so I tilted my head in confusion. ¡°I have something to tell you.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s about me. I couldn¡¯t bring myself to tell you.¡± You couldn¡¯t tell me something about yourself? Of course, the hidden story of an innocent and handsome man was quite appealing. Though at the same time, I had this thought. ¡®What is it, I¡¯m not going to follow him and be captured by a shrimp boat, right?¡¯ ¡®I¡¯ve gotten a little closer with Mr. Kine these days, but¡­¡¯ That was very recent. Until now, he was just a man who suddenly appeared six months ago and I had never spoken to. Even though he had a kind smile, I was a bit reluctant to receive such a suspicious business card and go to an unknown address (especially as the black sheep on the black business card seemed somewhat dangerous). The serious eyes under the wavy brown hair spoke again. ¡°I have prepared a present that you will like.¡± ¡°¡­A gift?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¨DIt¡¯s getting more and more suspicious, Mr. Regular. I slipped the business card I was holding between my fingers and put it in my pocket. ¡°Well, my help isn¡¯t around lately, so I am busy preparing for sales.¡± This was 100% true. Whenever Um went on a break, I had to do business alone, so it took me a while to make the dough. ¡°Can I see you later, and go when I have time? I hope you don¡¯t wait too long.¡± Aside from being suspicious, I¡¯m really busy. He smiled coolly as if he was happy just with that possibility, lips rising. ¡°Thank you, Owner.¡± Emerald-colored eyes gleamed with excitement. ¡°¡ªI will be waiting for you.¡± CH 70 ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°Hurry up, get rid of it!¡± ¡°You must not leave even a speck of dust behind. Absolutely clean!¡± ¡°Hey, shake the ostrich duster a little more passionately. Would you like Miss Annette to have an image of ¡®Larva¡¯ as a dust hole?!¡± The Larva were in the midst of cleaning. The vicious-looking men were all sweeping away with a small ostrich duster, a cute strawberry patterned mop, and a broom¡ª everyone focused on wiping, sweeping, and mopping. At that time, one of the members of Larva, who was mopping the floor for the 18th time, fell down while swearing, ¡°Shit!¡±. ¡°Is there any sense in doing this?¡± A muscular man grabbed his shoulder and said sternly. ¡°Listen carefully¡­ It is said that Miss Annette called the Master ¡®Murderer¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Faintly, the fallen member of Larva¡¯s pupils shook. ¡ªA man whose nickname was ¡®Murderer.¡¯ And he worked in a place so gloomy and dirty that it could be called ¡®the home of a murderer¡¯? Ah, what would be the fate of that man? ¡®He¡¯ll be dumped, he¡¯ll totally be dumped!¡¯ ¡°¨DWipe the hardwood floor until it smells like flowers.¡± Hence, the fallen man got up with a sad expression on his face and started mopping the floor for the 19th time. The image of a ¡®slightly outdated pub¡¯ had become sparkling, just like the reception of a hotel. It was like an upscale pub. In particular, Larva¡¯s initial ¡®L¡¯ scattered light in the middle of the guild headquarters, exuding a sense of professional management. Regardless of the ¡®brutal¡¯ things they do; The people of Larva, everyone was sincere. Their master, who had been in unrequited love for all his life (and for only one woman), shall hopefully find love today¡­! Then, the door opened and Kyle came in. ¡°Welcome, Master!¡± ¡°I just finished cleaning. Hahaha, take a look!¡± Crazy-looking big men wearing cleaning aprons and head towels went whoosh! They lined up and greeted him. Kyle looked around suspiciously. Right then. Ae-aeeng¡ª A fly was trying to sit on the table, but it slipped and fell (the fly itself had a puzzled expression on its face). (TL/N: my, my, they polished the table so well that the fly couldn¡¯t even land properly. Where can I get such cleaning service??) ¡°¡­Perfect.¡± He didn¡¯t expect it this much. He just wanted to give Annette a clean impression. His purpose of inviting her here today was clear. Like a fool, he said that he was a ¡®research student¡¯ and that he was Kine. He wanted to confess that he was Kyle Winston, the boy who had previously proposed to her. And he was going to explain that Larva was different from the rumors. That the rumors were quite exaggerated. He wanted to at least show it as it is. That¡¯s why he invited her. To here. ¡°It¡¯s not over yet¡­ You have a secret weapon. Kekek.¡± A man with only one-eye had his eye lit meaningfully. And clap clap! He clapped vigorously. Then his vicious-looking comrades brought a bunch of red roses and decorated the area. Although they didn¡¯t have the skill to arrange it beautifully, it was gorgeous enough as there were a lot of flowers. ¡ªIt was a massive volume attack. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Kyle blushed in embarrassment. He said as he covered his face with a big hand, like he was going ¡®Oh my God¡¯. ¡°Is there even a need for this?¡± Roses in the guild headquarters full of men. ¡°Did you hear that the Master was called ¡®The Murderer¡¯?¡± ¡°Did she say that the leader of Larva is ¡®terrifying and terrible¡¯?¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± Between the fingers in his gloves, mad green eyes flashed. ¡°Fill the roses up all the way to the entrance right now.¡± ¡°¡­Yes!¡± After a while. Kyle, who was left alone at the guild headquarters, wiped his face nervously. ¡®Will she come today?¡¯ ¡°I hope you don¡¯t wait too long.¡± How could he not wait? Except for a very brief period of his life, Kyle has always wanted and longed for her. It was Annette, who had no idea how he felt. The waiting was always bitter and sweet. ¡­Even at this moment. Kyle looked around and suddenly smiled, saying; ¡°It¡¯s a day where the Larva cleaned all day.¡± In the morning, he cleaned out the dark guild ¡®Delphi¡¯. Because the guy who aimed for was from Delphi. How dare he demand 20%, no, 10%¡­ No¡­ 5% of Little Bakery¡¯s sales (there was a cascading deduction thanks to the work of the fearless pot). It took just three hours to wipe out those bastards. ¡®If I had left them alone, they would have come to ask for it again.¡¯ In an even more sinister way. To begin with, they were the bad guys among the bad guys who kidnapped women and sold them as slaves. Of course, that wasn¡¯t why they were ¡®cleaned¡¯. There was only one reason. They touched , that¡¯s all. ¡°¡ªHow dare they touch it. I¡¯ll have to kill them all.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°I will destroy it¡¯s three tribes.¡± Amidst the red roses, the handsome and innocent-looking man muttered with an eerie smile. The black mask, the last remnant of Delphi, who was secretly hiding behind him, groaned. The masked eyes were expressing; ¡®I think I¡¯m screwed¡­?¡¯ At that moment, the mad leader of Larva drawled out, looking straight at the mask. ¡°Even if you die, it¡¯s cheap. Isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± The masked man closed his eyes tightly, whispering, ¡°What the heck.¡± Then he gripped his knife and charged. At the same time. Kyle put down the shotgun, and his fist struck the mask. Puck! ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°The cookies smell amazing. No one will be able to stand this. Ah, definitely.¡± This scent was making me salivate. In , cookies were baked to a golden brown color, and the sweet and savory scent was oozing. ¡®Whoah, I¡¯m looking forward to tomorrow¡¯s sales.¡¯ The sales obsessive maniac laughed darkly as she recalled the myth of a sales jackpot made with cookies. ¡®I¡¯ll suck the money.¡¯ Oh! I widened my eyes and looked at the clock. Ah, now that I noticed, it¡¯s too late? As expected, as I was preparing for the opening tomorrow by myself, it was too late. It was already dark outside the window. ¡°Hmm. I probably won¡¯t be able to go see Mr. Kine.¡± It was a little sad though. Come to think of it, I was busy, so I left the bouquet as it was. It would wither soon. ¡®I need to arrange the flowers.¡¯ It was when I picked up the bouquet. ¡ªTuk. A small box fell at my feet. ¡°Huh?¡± It was a box that was inserted with a business card inside the bouquet, but it seemed that the flowers were so abundant that I couldn¡¯t see it. I opened the small mint-colored box. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± My eyes widened wildly. Inside contained a small shiny bracelet. It was made of topaz. My favorite gem, topaz. Really, it¡¯s topaz? ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I thought while picking up the bracelet with a slightly vague expression. ¡®Isn¡¯t that suspicious?¡¯ Once or twice was a coincidence, but the third was unlikely to be a coincidence. This innocently handsome man with Indian dimples was too sensitive to my taste. It was like he did a background check. ¡®You, who the hell are you?¡¯ I was too curious to stand still. It was a plan modification. ¡®I have to check it out right now.¡¯ Eventually, I left the house with a basket of cookies. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ Diver Street. Day and night, a place ruled by outlaws. It was the only street on the peaceful Bayonaire Island that was called ¡®Shady¡¯. By the way; Contrary to my expectations, it was surprisingly clean. ¡®It¡¯s different than I imagined.¡¯ I bumped into some monstrous-looking man, but most of them were picking up trash. Then, when our eyes met, they smiled warmly (this was a little burdensome). ¡°¡­Is this the place?¡± I soon arrived at the building. There was a black sheep sign. The initials ¡®L¡¯ were engraved on the door. Hmmm, L? What¡¯s the abbreviation for? Tok tok¡ª ¡°Mr. Kine, I¡¯m here.¡± I called a little louder, knocked on the door, and hugged the cookie basket tightly in my arms. This was a gift. For Mr. Kine. I did hear that he had prepared a ¡®gift¡¯ for me, so I couldn¡¯t come empty-handed. Once again, tok tok¡ª I knocked on the door. ¡°Mr. Kine! This is Annette!¡± However, there was no answer from the inside, and it was quiet like before. I tilted my head and opened the door slightly. Crrrr¡ª- The door opened slightly with the creaking of hinges. ¡°Mr. Kine¡­?¡± I called him, carefully opened the door, and went inside. And that moment. ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± I encountered an unbelievable sight. It was a sight of the pure stag-like man striking a masked man with his fists clad in leather gloves. Wham, wham! Every time he punched, blood spattered brightly in all directions, and the ¡®red roses¡¯ were engulfed in the drops of blood, making it even more red. ¡®I wonder if they were originally white roses, but because of that it became red?¡¯ In the first place, why did you put roses in the place where you beat others at? ¨DTo make it more romantic?! ¡°¡­Owner.¡± ¡°Hahaha. Hello?¡± I felt a cold sweat run down my back as I laughed awkwardly. It was then. Mr. Kine, who turned the masked man into blood cake, discovered me belatedly. Thud. When he let go of his collar, the man fell to the floor like a piece of meat. The brunette looked like a bloodthirsty carnivorous stag. ¡°What about him?¡± ¡°¡ªIt¡¯s my friend. I was joking.¡± ¡®Do you empty out your friend?¡¯ Mr. Kine smiled at me. It was obvious that he was smiling without knowing there was blood on the half of his bright and handsome face. Just then. A thought flashed through my head like lightning. ¡®Is the initial ¡®L¡¯ the ¡®L¡¯ of Larva?!¡¯ Undoubtedly so. Headquarters with an ¡°L¡± sign on the street of outlaws. ¡®And actually, he has brown hair and green eyes like the leader of Larva, right?¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I was frightened and staggered back. He sharply caught my backward step. Green eyes, thick like a swamp, followed me tenaciously. Then he took off his gloves and held out his hand. And he whispered. ¨DWith a very sweet and gentle voice. ¡°Come here.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± It somehow felt like the tenderness of a hunter trying to lure out a rabbit. The eyes containing dark green pupils were curved. ¡°I have a gift you will love.¡± ¡°¡­A gift?¡± ¡®Yes, it could be a misunderstanding.¡¯ First of all, let¡¯s calm down and think about what Mr. Kine has been like so far. He was nice and kind. ¡®Even now, looking at the gifts he prepared, he¡¯s a warm-hearted man, isn¡¯t he?¡¯ Could it be that the rumors of the leader of Larva had been exaggerated? At least, he wouldn¡¯t be a ¡®crazy guy¡¯. Tuk¡ª Then, as he pulled a string, the turquoise silk on one wall slipped and revealed a ¡®prison¡¯ full of scary slave men (all of them gagged with the word ¡®Delphi¡¯ inscribed on them). ¡°It is a gift. You wanted to have a smart pet.¡± A beautiful, blood-soaked face smiled broadly. ¡®Looks like he¡¯s crazy.¡¯ Ame: We all love crazy scratch that, WE ALL LOVE HANDSOME+CRAZY (not just regular crazy). And it looks like whatever that¡¯s in the summary and chapter 1 are cherry-picked. Tassie: Unhinged soft MLs do things to me. Unhinged MLs in general do things to me. Just be mentally unstable and i¡¯ll simp pls my standards are so low XD CH 71 ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°Master, be strong.¡± While in a hug, a muscular man touched Kyle¡¯s shoulder with his chin and spoke words of comfort. The vicious-looking men were all throwing words of consolation to their master. ¡ªThat was the only thing they could do. It was the first time. That their master looked so down. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Kyle was frustrated and rested one hand on his forehead. Annette looked at the present he had prepared, and with a very hurried tone and pose¡ª ¡°H-Here, it¡¯s a gift. See you next time.¡± She ran away from headquarters (leaving behind a cute cookie basket). Kyle said with regret. ¡°I didn¡¯t even know there was blood on my face¡­ She must be surprised.¡± The one-eyed man nodded his head. Now matter how naive his master was and how he kept failing to meet her eyes, he could guess the reason why the lady ran away. What a great development. ¡°Oh, I should have wiped the blood on my face when giving the ¡®pet gift¡¯.¡± ¡ªKyle knocked the breath out of the one-eyed man. His only pupil trembled terribly. ¡®¡­Master, do you really think that¡¯s the only problem?¡¯ ¡®Don¡¯t you think that the gift itself is a problem?!¡¯ The one-eyed man realized the importance of the environment in which a ¡®growing boy¡¯ grew up in. This man spent half his life on the battlefield, seeing only the worst, and sometimes he did not understand the ¡®sensibility of ordinary people¡¯ at all. So, it was his duty to tell the truth to this poor, dispirited man. One-eye said seriously. ¡°Master, you gifted humans to be ¡®pets¡¯¡­? Usually people will think you¡¯re crazy.¡± Kyle tapped his chin and rolled his green eyes. ¡°But Luiman was happy. When I gave a human as a gift.¡± ¡°The sensibility of the furry beast slave trader and the lady who runs Little Bakery are different.¡± ¡°Is it different?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± In response to the one-eyed man¡¯s resolute answer, the muscular body next to him shuddered. With an expression of ¡®what¡¯s different?¡¯ But he soon raised the corners of his lips and nodded his head well, as if he understood (but he did not understand). ¡°Ha.¡± Kyle felt like he had been hit in the head. ¡°I made a mistake.¡± It was because he was too obsessed with one thing. ¡°Well, she wanted to raise a smart pet. That¡¯s what she wants to do the most right now.¡± Concentrating on that ¡®smart pet¡¯, he just wanted to give her the best gift. The smartest animal? ¡ªIsn¡¯t it human? He thought it would be very useful to keep the Delphi guys as pets. She could use them as a watchdog, or make them work. There was no need to clean up the poop. Besides, he taught them to bark so that they wouldn¡¯t bother talking unnecessarily (although Annette dropped the cookie basket when she saw people barking). Kyle rubbed his lips and shifted his eyes. ¡°She was afraid and disgusted. She will only think of me as a madman like in the rumors.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I will never have a second chance.¡± He dug a tunnel. Very, very deep. The men of Larva, who were watching the scene, thought, ¡®Tsk, our master is also pitiful¡¯. They had seen all of Kyle¡¯s lifelong love. Their master was a man who endured excruciating headaches instead of forgetting her. Was that all? He fell in love from a very young age, and in order to protect the lady, he spent all of his childhood on the battlefield. When talking about ¡®Miss Annette¡¯, his handsome face always shone. For six months, he carefully hovered around her and bought flowers and chocolate every day. But because of a momentary mistake, now there is no chance? How could he not be pitiful? ¡°It¡¯s all my fault.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m always making a fool of myself in front of her like this.¡± Then there was someone who patted him on his shoulder. It was the one-eyed man. He said, making eye contact. ¡°I¡¯ve learned that such a thing is love, Master.¡± ¡®You like the person so much that you feel like a fool in front of the other person.¡¯ One-eye spoke. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just tell her everything frankly and without embellishment? Don¡¯t make any preparations. You were just cleaning the house, preparing roses and gifts, but your image was ruined.¡± The people of Larva nodded their heads. It¡¯s not just that it¡¯s ruined, it¡¯s f*cking ruined. Two men of the Larva gave encouragement, one after another. ¡°You must not give up, Master!¡± ¡°He¡¯s right. You¡¯ve been hiding your identity and only had an unrequited love for half your life, right?¡± The muscular man who had been silently listening to their words also came forward. ¡°Are you sure Miss Annette knows everything?¡± ¡°Right!¡± Voices of support erupted from among the Larva. He was their master who saved their lives on the battlefield, a total of 100 times. Kyle was the bravest and most wonderful man they knew (and, of course, also the scariest man). The men had a deep desire for Miss Annette to know a little bit about Kyle, who was so well-liked by them. ¡°I don¡¯t know if she¡¯ll give me a chance to speak.¡± At Kyle¡¯s words, the muscular man (who was happily eating Annette¡¯s cookies) smiled and mumbled. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t she give you a chance?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Yes, the ¡®Miss Annette¡¯ the Master spoke of is a thoughtful, kind, and warm person.¡± ¡°Hahahahaha!¡± The big guy laughed. ¡°If that is the case, she will definitely give you a chance. At least once, for sure.¡± ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ The next day. I had been nervous since morning. I feared that the ¡®meat-eating stag¡¯ who had spread roses to make the place more romantic before punching would come to my little bakery. ¡®Please don¡¯t come, please don¡¯t come.¡¯ Just looking at brown hair made my heart race. But luckily, he didn¡¯t come. He always stopped by the bakery during his free time when there were no customers, but today there was no sign of him at all. ¡°Whew¡­¡± In relief, I changed the sign of the bakery to ¡®Closed¡¯ and muttered. ¡°Well, I went out like that.¡± Last night, he called my name as I quickly ran away. The voice sounded really desperate, but I ran as if I had not heard it. ¡ªHe would know if he had sense. That I hated it. Yesterday was quite a shock. How could such an innocent and kind handsome man be the madman in the rumors? No, it was more frightening than the rumors. Trapped in a cage, going, ¡®Bow! Wow! Woof!¡¯ I felt dizzy again when I thought of the barking slave men. They even seemed terrified when they were barking¡­ I shook my head. ¡®It¡¯s the season for crazy people.¡¯ I shouldn¡¯t get involved anymore. ¡°No, but.¡± I muttered as I picked up the newspaper in front of the door. ¡°The image he had shown me so far, then, was all a lie¡­?¡± How good was he at acting? I went back in with the World Daily, folded in half, with a frown. This was the last newspaper. On the front page of the newspaper was a large piece of paper that looked like it had been written by hand. ¡°What?¡± ¡¸ If you extend your newspaper subscription, you¡¯ll get a bicycle, a pot set, and¡­ We¡¯ll give you another bicycle! Two bicycles ?¡¹ ¡°¡­¡­.¡± It¡¯s growing. I shook my head. He was a salesperson who really tries to make a living. It was like a self-employed flamethrower who firmly opened the store door even after confirming the existence of a crazy carnivorous deer. ¡®I¡¯m sorry, but this one¡¯s defense is too strong.¡¯ It was at that time when this self-employed person, who had neither blood nor tears, clicked her tongue and mercilessly tossed the paper. Again, tok tok¡ª ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± There was a knock that caught my attention. It was a sound from the window. Like something like a small pea was hitting the window. The guest who came to me was a very small¡­ ¡­Squirrel with both hands neatly put together. ¡®Ah, ah. My heart. So cute.¡¯ Whoops, did you knock, Squirrel? With those little paws? I quickly went to the window and opened it. Then it greeted me with a smile. ¡°Hi?¡± Then, the squirrel with a lot of tail fur sprang inside and held out a letter. ¡°Are you the former squirrel?¡± I smiled and accepted the letter. Then I took the nuts out of the cupboard and handed them to the squirrel. The polite squirrel nodded ¡ª it tilted its head, then grabbed a walnut with its paws and ate it. Until its cheeks were plump. ¡®Aww, it¡¯s cute.¡¯ Is there anyone else who uses squirrels instead of a pigeon? Suddenly, I remembered the past. The first adult who cared for me, kindly invited me home, and made me feel warm. The Marquis of Winston. ¡®What is he doing now?¡¯ But unlike back then, this was without any seal, it was just an ordinary letter. Swhiik, I opened the letter. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± I know this handwriting. A letter came from the crazy carnivorous stag! The contents were as follows; CH 72 ¡¸Owner. I picked up a pen after hesitating many times, fearing that even these words would be a burden. Last night, your heart that was as soft as a leaf in early spring, must have been surprised. I want to apologize. I couldn¡¯t understand the lady¡¯s heart deeply because I was clumsy. You might still be very afraid, but I dare to ask. I sincerely apologize and ask for a chance to clear up the misunderstanding. If my sincerity reached you¡­ Please come to the ¡®purple lilac tree of Lake Thalys¡¯. Please come whenever you like. You can come late. I will always be happy to wait for you.¡¹ The letter was neatly written in an aristocratic cursive tone, and it was as if his serious, low voice could be heard. ¡®It¡¯s like a love letter from 20 years ago.¡¯ It was a letter full of sincerity, caution, consideration and respect. Even the selected location was romantic. ¡ªThe part about it¡¯s okay to be late. ¡®He didn¡¯t write down a time at all.¡¯ It was only to tell me to come at any time, on my schedule. Waiting was up to him. It would not be empty words. Last time, this pure man waited for me under the clock tower even though I was late. Even so, he greeted me with a smile without showing any contempt¡­ ¡°Wow, this is so confusing, isn¡¯t it?¡± I tilted my head in frustration. The nerdish, shy and innocent handsome Mr. Kine who sent this letter¡ª ¡°It is a gift. You wanted to have a smart pet.¡± Woof, woof! Woof, woof! He was the same person as a crazy murderer who puts men in prison like pigs and made them bark and gave them as ¡®pet gifts¡¯. Moreover, Mr. Kine was the same person who said he was joking with his friend, and had fun shaking him upside down. ¡°It¡¯s scary. Heuk.¡± ¡ªI should be suspicious. ¡®Is he really calling me to make an apology?¡¯ I thought about the atrocities I had committed against the leader of Larva. I treated him like a ¡®hogu bread-fan¡¯ and sold him leftover date palm tarts. He took a little bit of the bread, and I made him a day worker (it wasn¡¯t even at minimum wage). And to food. Even saying I would have eaten more if he was going to pay (my shining personality). Finally¡ª ¡°Isn¡¯t he really scary and terrifying?¡± In front of the leader of Larva, wasn¡¯t it true that I cursed at him¡­? ¡®Heuk-heuk, please save me.¡¯ No matter how much I thought about it, even if I was kidnapped by the leader of Larva to the red rose headquarters to be romantically ¡®welcomed¡¯, there was nothing to say. But that wasn¡¯t the only thing that happened. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Although it had only been a short time since we met, I had seen many sides of him. Mr. Kine who brought me pretty apples to apologize and blushed in front of me. As the little boy fell into a deep sleep, those wide, firm shoulders carried him with a soft touch and covered him with a blanket. The cute expression when his glasses fogged up while drinking cocoa. ¡®Was it really all acting?¡¯ If he was going to kidnap me, he was a man in a position to take me right now. Because he was the leader of Larva, the most infamous intelligence guild. ¡®Besides, he didn¡¯t come today, but instead, sent a letter through the squirrel.¡¯ It must have been in case I might be surprised. Certainly, far from showing any intention of intimidating or harming, he was being really careful. ¡°Okay.¡± I ended my brief contemplation. Soon, I lowered my pale green eyes and smiled softly. ¡°Shall I go and have a listen? To what your master is going to say.¡± I gently stroked the squirrel, and the squirrel jumped happily, Pii. Like it was listening to what I was saying. I immediately got ready and went outside. I followed behind as the chubby squirrel wagged its rich tail. After the bread lover and squirrel left. Hwing, the wind blew from the window, making the paper attached to the first page of The World Daily flutter. Thanks to that, it was revealed. ¨DToday¡¯s shocking headline. ¡¸The Prince of El Dorado ¡ª Invaded the Fris Empire and was victorious. Who is the ¡®Annette¡¯ he is looking for?¡¹ ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ It took only three hours for Sislin to capture the capital of the Fris Empire. Everyone thought it was crazy. It didn¡¯t make sense. The ¡®devil¡¯ who entered the heart of the Fris Empire using a large-scale teleport penetrated the stronghold of the empire at once and subdued the Emperor. ¨DSo, three hours. ¡®I knew the Crown Prince was strong, but this is a nonsensical record.¡¯ Heinrich¡¯s aide, Duncan, quickly received the news. It was a record that would go down in history. It had been less than half a day since the conquest started, and the enemy¡¯s breath was already smothered. Even right here. Those on the outskirts of the Fris Empire didn¡¯t even know there was a war. There was no time to tell. In fact, there was no sound of gunfire here, and it was peaceful. Duncan was now camping with his master near the seashore of the Fris Empire. Click. Duncan turned off the communicator, went into the camp¡¯s tent, and spoke to his master, who was lying on a bed (which must have magical powers) that was quite luxurious and plush for a camper. The Fris Empire fell. It was due to the success of the Grand Duke¡¯s teleport magic tool.¡± Heinrich¡¯s eyes slowly opened. With narrowed eyes, his pupils shone beautifully. Shh¡ª The arrogant master lowered his eyelashes, brought his index finger to his lips, and let out a breath. It meant to be quiet. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Duncan nodded and apologized. But it seemed he was already late. He heard a small whispering voice from the inside of the blanket, it was wriggling. ¡°Oh my.¡± Heinrich¡¯s eyes narrowed affectionately. ¡°You woke up.¡± As he walked on the soft and luxurious red rug, Duncan looked inside and was startled. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Because there was a girl in it. Blonde as soft as honey, bright green eyes as fresh as spring, and small like a fairy. Duncan knew the name of this young girl, who looked to be about 12-years-old. ¡®Miss Annette¡¯. It was a creature created by his master, maddened by love and thirst, grounded in crazy obsession. A few days ago. ¡°Your Highness, are you still locked up?¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯ve been immersed for days without eating or drinking. I¡¯m not able to enter because you said it¡¯s off limits to everyone.¡± ¡°How much time has passed?¡± ¡°It is already the tenth day.¡± Duncan decided it was impossible to continue on like this any longer. Because his owner was the type of person who would see it till the end when he was immersed in something. Enough to destroy himself. Especially with regard to ¡®Miss Annette¡¯, the symptoms worsened even more. Duncan opened the door, prepared to lose his neck to protect his master. Inside, an unimaginable scene unfolded. A little girl (with flesh and blood, looking like a real human), and Heinrich, who knelt in front of her, holding and whispering to her. ¡°Do I finally meet you¡­?¡± Heinrich looked crazier than usual. ¡°We can never part again, Sister.¡± In the end, this undisputed genius succeeded in making the girl he loved. It was a bit creepy for Duncan to see. The Annette created by Heinrich was a 12-year-old girl, but he said she shared her soul with the current Annette. He said that this creature was technically a magic tool to access the soul. Thus, what the real Annette knew, this ¡®Annette¡¯ knew too. After a touching reunion. Heinrich asked Annette the information he wanted to get the most. ¡°¡­Where are you hiding now?¡± From then on, at the words of the 12-year-old Annette, they went on a journey. If they knew the coordinates immediately, they could teleport, but that was difficult. This Annette was getting closer to the ¡®real Annette¡¯ little by little, so she couldn¡¯t tell them the location right away. By the way; Heinrich seemed rather to enjoy the process. He was more lively than ever. Like right now, he whispered to the girl in his arms while smirking. ¡°You can sleep more, Sister.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ No. I want to get up.¡± ¡°Why?¡± The girl raised a finger and said, ¡°If you sleep too much at night, you won¡¯t be able to sleep at night!¡± ¡°Ah, oh my.¡± Heinrich laughed quite happily. The 12-year-old girl was nagging at him the way she used to. ¡°Then can you get up and tell me where to go next?¡± ¡°Great.¡± The two got out of bed, held hands and stood side by side, and went out. Duncan followed them like a shadow. Numerous stars were shining in the night sky of the campsite perched on the cliff. Swaa, swaa. The sound of waves crashing against the sheer cliff could be heard. The fishy and refreshing scent unique to the night sea gently enveloped the tip of the nose. Whooo¡ª A long wind blew past his beautiful silver hair and the girl¡¯s moonlit blonde hair. The girl who had been looking at the sea at night whispered at last. ¡°Now, we are almost there.¡± The 12-year-old Annette raised her little hand. And she pointed in one direction with her index finger. Very precisely. ¡°¡®I¡¯ am hiding there now.¡± Heinrich and Duncan¡¯s eyes widened at the same time as they saw ¡®it¡¯. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Ame: *screams* oh my god, Heinrich!! WHAT WHY HOW ASJKDFHKSNL *whispers* nono, i did not read that, and i read nothing, yes, nothing. *speaks in a louder voice* ahem, the title was inspired from taylor¡¯s ¡¯tis the damn season, and i took some time to even edit the lyrics in annette¡¯s perspective lmao So we could call it even You could miss me once more for the weekend ¡®Tis the crazy season, time to scream I¡¯m stayin¡¯ at Bayonaire And the road not taken looks real good now It¡¯s time to run away from the male leads (again) CH 73 There was nothing there. There were only waves crashing in black. The girl was pointing to the middle of the sea. ¡°¡­Oh My God.¡± Duncan realized that his master¡¯s magic tool had failed, and covered his mouth. For the first time, he felt sorry for his master. Now, his future was bleak, he had to bring his master back, who was obviously going to go crazy. It was then. Heinrich¡¯s eyes fluttered in exhilaration. ¡°Sister, you were hiding on an ¡®island¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± His eyes lit up with joy. ¡°It¡¯s hidden. It¡¯s hard to find.¡± Duncan came to his senses, took out a map and found the island the girl was pointing to. There was only one island there. ¡ªBayonaire Island. Duncan shared the location with Heinrich. Heinrich¡¯s eyes darkened as if they were about to swallow the black night sea. It was then. A thin groan and voice could be heard from near his feet. ¡°Heinrich¡­¡± ¡°Sister.¡± The 12-year-old Annette took Heinrich¡¯s hand and rubbed her eyes slightly. ¡°I am sleepy.¡± In an instant, Heinrich¡¯s expression darkened a little. He had an intuition that the Annette, whom he created because he loved her so much, was about to leave him once again. Magic tools had a purpose, and magic tools that usually require such high magical power disappear when their purpose was achieved, as the magical power it contained was waning. ¨DAgain, the time for parting had come. ¡°Sister, you are sleepy¡­¡± Heinrich leaned over his body and hugged her. She, who was held in his arms, was very slender and small. Heinrich realized again. For a little girl like this, he waited with so much longing for the great sea to dry up and the bottom to crack. ¡®You are so small. You¡¯ve always been my world¡­¡¯ With his eyes closed, he tried to inhale the body scent of the girl in his arms. Unfortunately, the magic tool didn¡¯t contain her body scent, so he felt even more lonely. He patted the girl on her back and whispered. ¡°Now you can sleep well.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The girl¡¯s body began to glow white. Heinrich¡¯s closed eyes distorted slightly painfully. The girl patted his shoulder as if she knew his heart, Soon, pwshh, pwshh. She flew up into a swarm of shining butterflies. Duncan and Heinrich looked at the swarm of butterflies in awe as it beautifully embroidered the black sky. ¡°Ha¡­¡± The silver-haired man took a deep breath and closed his eyes again. ¡°Duncan.¡± ¡°Yes, Grand Duke.¡± His long eyelashes twitched, and the red corners of his lips rose in a thrill. ¡°Now, let¡¯s go find my ¡®real¡¯ sister.¡± When Heinrich opened his eyes again¡­ ¡­They were more obsessive than ever. ¡°I have to hurry, even just a second faster.¡± That bastard savagely devoured the Fris Empire where his sister was. ¡®Sister, I¡¯ll have to swallow her first. Rightfully.¡¯ Heinrich hurriedly turned around and headed for the camp. Duncan looked at the upright back of his beautiful master, and suddenly a question arose. ¨DWho would take her first?! The crown prince who destroyed a country to find only one woman. Among the most outstanding geniuses, the one who created her entirely to find her. ¡®It¡¯s going to be pretty interesting.¡¯ ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ Thalys Lake. I was heading to the lake shore with the plump squirrel. It was a fine day today, perfect weather with a gentle breeze blowing even in the afternoon. On such a sunny and pleasant afternoon, I¡ª ¨DWould be with a killer at the lakeside? ¡®Should I go back now?¡¯ Kkyu! At that time, the squirrel looked at me with a ¡®kyuu?¡¯ expression and sat up on my shoulder. ¡®Oh, it¡¯s cute.¡¯ I smiled and patted the squirrel¡¯s little head. ¡°Your master must be a good person~?!¡± The squirrel tilted its head. Then, soon after, it nodded its tiny head hard. It was so cute that I burst out laughing. Lake Thalys was the site of the largest cluster of lilacs in Bayonaire. After a few more steps, the scent of lilacs wafted through, and when I finally turned around the big tree, I saw the back of a tall figure. ¡ªOh, isn¡¯t it amazing? ¡®It¡¯s just like the clock tower.¡¯ That man had the magic to make only himself visible no matter what landscape he was in. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± For a moment, our eyes met. His hair was soft like a field of wheat in autumn, gently blown by the breeze. The emerald-colored eyes beyond the frame of the glasses smiled slowly as soon as they saw me. The gracefully handsome man called out to me as usual, his Indian dimple denting his face. ¡°Owner. I¡¯m glad you came.¡± ¡®For now, he seems to be sane. There are no roses stained with blood around.¡¯ The pot-wielding master approached, wary that this innocent stag might turn into a crazy carnivore again. It was a requirement to show my ability at the slightest provocation. ¡°I came here just to hear your story. And if you try to give me a suspicious gift, I won¡¯t let it sit.¡± It wasn¡¯t a lie. Well, some things were possible. With the power of Sordi, ¡®Make the eyes blind¡¯, and with the power of Um, ¡®Oh, hot!¡¯ To that extent, it was possible. I even had my dagger, which I always carried with me because I was a fugitive. But there was no need to take it out. He immediately bowed politely, placed one of his hands on his chest and offered a sincere apology. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to have startled you yesterday, lady.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious.¡± ¡®Ummm, that¡¯s too polite¡­¡¯ His ears were red, and his eyelashes were down sadly. ¡®I guess he didn¡¯t shock me on purpose.¡¯ So, was it a gift for me?! Well, considering that the other person was the leader of the most infamous guild in Bayonaire, maybe he thought it was a real gift (though the idea itself was crazy). But if it wasn¡¯t intentional¡ª ¡°I accept your apology.¡± ¡°Thank you¡­¡± An apology was received, but my vigilance was not lifted. I asked, with my arms crossed and with a rather cold face. ¡°I have a question. Please answer honestly, Mr. Kine.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You know my tastes all too well. Did you do a background check on me? What is it?¡± It was one of the reasons I came here. I wanted to find an answer to a question I had been curious about all this while. Mr. Kine gently replied. ¡°I think it will be a long story. Would you like to listen?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± In the middle of the lakeside where lilacs were in full bloom, a pleasant afternoon breeze blew. The man¡¯s eyes were filled with the image of the lady. ¡°My real name is ¡®Kyle Winston¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°I met Lady Annette a long time ago.¡± Kyle Winston? Bizet Winston¡¯s son? My eyes widened. ¡®Ah, I see, they look alike, right?¡¯ ¡®I¡¯ve only seen him once about 10 years ago, so it¡¯s a bit hazy but now that I think about it, he looks like Marquis Winston!¡¯ Now that I knew, I realized that he really looked like him. ¡®He was 10-years-old then. Kyle.¡¯ ¡°Please take this flower.¡± The little hand that was too shy and hiding behind the sofa holding out a white flower. The flower that was shaking with nervousness. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± I immediately remembered everything. I tilted my head and pointed at him, and asked, ¡°That Kyle Winston who proposed to me?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± He was saying he¡¯s that cutie pie? His face quickly turned red. ¡°Yes.¡± But he graciously admitted it. I remember exactly how he was when he was 10-years-old, when he avoided my eyes in embarrassment and shyness. I had the trait of wanting to tease a handsome man when he was flustered. ¡°Ah, remember! You said that you would come to me to propose to me again when you become an adult, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It was my first time seeing such a cute proposal!¡± I now remembered the affection I received from Marquis Winston, and so my impression of Kyle improved. As I chirped happily, he covered his blushing face and said, ¡°Actually, I was in the Forest too.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Starting with words I never imagined, Kyle unraveled his own story. The story of how he met me in the Forest. It was a story I couldn¡¯t even imagine. To my surprise, listening to the story brought back memories of that time in my head. He was very shy. A memory of the boy in a ¡®squirrel mask¡¯. As I listened to each account, some things came to mind in a blurry way while some were pretty clear. ¡°I admired you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Because I wanted to be cool like you, I always listened to things about you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Perhaps that¡¯s it. Why I know your tastes very well.¡± ¡ªIt was a reason I couldn¡¯t even imagine. It had been so long since he had known me. Standing with a little surprise and strange emotion, I looked at him. Whoo, then a breeze blew and the scent of lilac, which represented first love, tickled the tip of our noses. Kyle carefully grabbed my hand with his large one. Then he lowered his eyes and kissed it like a beast who had been obedient to his master for a long time. ¡°From that moment on, you were the only one for me.¡± CH 74 I could feel how long he had kept those words in his heart. It was a very sincere confession. We stared at each other for a moment. I smiled slowly. To 10-year-old Kyle. And to the shy baby squirrel masked boy I had probably wanted to remember. For some reason, I didn¡¯t think I had been able to smile enough to that boy. Kyle smiled at me. The time we smiled while looking at each other was warm, and for some reason, it was a little ticklish. As I watched the smiling man with his dimples deeply indented, there was a person that immediately came to mind. ¡°¡­How is he, Marquis Winston?¡± My supporter who made me feel the unconditional love of an adult for the first time. Occasionally, I thought of him. When it was difficult being alone, when the loneliness of being without family hit me, I thought of Kyle and Bizet Winston. The kind people who tried to welcome me as ¡®family¡¯. It warmed my heart just thinking about it. It gave me some strength in my lonely life. Our meeting was fleeting, but it still remained warm to me. ¡°Father¡­¡± Kyle thought a little and looked around. Because now he remembered what his father had said. ¡°Son, don¡¯t tell my daughter-in-law about me.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Because she might feel burdened. A man who puts pressure on a lady is the worst.¡± Then Bizet said, ¡°I dream of being a great father-in-law.¡± ¨DHe didn¡¯t know why he dreamed of such a thing (usually it would be to have a great spouse). ¡°Kyle.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± As Kyle was lost in thought, I called him. I said, widening my green eyes. ¨DAnd swiftly read Kyle¡¯s hesitant expression on his face. ¡°The reason I came here is because I want to hear everything honestly.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I want to know everything. What happened during the time I didn¡¯t know about.¡± ¡°My father ran an intelligence guild called ¡®Circe¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°My father is the boy who ran Circe, he wore a phantom thief mask and helped you escape from the Forest.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± That phantom thief boy was Bizet?! I asked in amazement. ¡°But wasn¡¯t he around 15-years-old¡­ It was a little boy?¡± ¡®Isn¡¯t that a radical rejuvenation?¡¯ ¡®No matter how young you are, how old are you, Father?¡¯ ¡®Besides, the boy had black hair¡­¡¯ He was also a small boy. I knew it would have been a disguise, of course, but I truly never dreamed that the two would be the same person. Kyle smiled at me, who was in shock, and politely offered his hand. ¡°Would you like to walk together for a moment?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± It was an interesting story, so it seemed appropriate to listen while walking. We started walking together, by the lake, where the flowers of a clear afternoon bloom brightly. Kyle started with a story about Winston. ¡°Since our predecessors, the Winston family has been doing two things. In the sun, the work of the ¡®Magical Beast Subjugation Team¡¯ as the guns of the Empire.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°In the shadows, we run an intelligence guild store.¡± ¡®Oh, it¡¯s a story that doesn¡¯t exist in the original.¡¯ It felt like I was reading an interesting side story, so I focused my attention on his words. ¡°My father used the pseudonym ¡®Balrog¡¯ as the 27th head of the household and the head of the 27th guild, .¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°To hide our identity in the shadows, we used masks. Masks that transform one¡¯s appearance.¡± ¡°Aha, that phantom mask!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The phantom thief mask that changed shape. Plus, a guild with a know-how that stopped Gerard¡¯s pursuit for 10 years. Certainly, the greatness of the predecessors of Winston, who had been active for many years while hiding their identity, was felt. I followed Kyle, crossing the flower grove and walking around the lake shore. Several squirrels trotted after us. It was like a fairy tale landscape. I said; ¡°So that¡¯s it. The phantom thief masked boy was the Marquis¡­¡± He had been a huge help to me, and he never asked for anything. Suddenly, I remembered what he had said to me. A long time ago, when I first settled on Bayonaire, he said, ¡°Just use the name ¡®Annette¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­Changing my name will make it easier to evade the chase.¡± ¡°Changing names and hiding is like a criminal¡¯s life. Whenever others call you by a different name, you¡¯ll be unhappy because you¡¯ll remember that you¡¯re living in hiding.¡± Now that I think about it, it was meticulous care. ¡ªIt warms the heart. ¡°I will definitely cut off the pursuit. So have a happy new start here. Understand?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the name Annette is very common here.¡± Of course, changing the name would have made it easier to break the pursuit. ¡­He truly loved me. He only wished for my happiness. My sponsor. I was well aware of that feeling. ¡®Because I was like that too.¡¯ Because there were times when I, too, desperately hoped for the happiness of certain boys. Even though it was a love I was unaware of, my heart warmed when I thought that I had been receiving it in abundance. ¡°If I had known that, I would have done a little bit better for the ¡®Phantom Thief Boy¡¯.¡± I said a little apologetically. ¡°I always acted like a cheap old man that wanted to give one less gold coin.¡± This self-employed person was always thinking about cutting costs, and always saved gold coins with a desire for a ¡®cost-effective phantom thief boy¡¯ (actually, after 5 years, became a ¡®half-price boy¡¯). ¨DNo, now I have become a very bad baker, haven¡¯t I? Kyle laughed lowly. Then he looked at me with those friendly emerald eyes. ¡°You have done well enough.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Once or twice a year, on the day he met Owner, he always had a big smile all day.¡± He leaned back and smiled softly. ¡°He¡¯d say, ¡®Today, I met a really cute and lovely lady.¡¯¡± ¡®¡­Now I¡¯m even more sorry, heuk-heuk.¡¯ How did he smile like that even though he was being sold at half price like a hogu? ¡®I¡¯m sorry for being an ungrateful beneficiary, sponsor.¡¯ ¡°The next time we meet, I¡¯ll have to sincerely thank him.¡± I felt like my conscience was brimming to my hair. ¡°Especially, he saved me from Gerard. I was really grateful when I escaped¡ª¡± At that moment, Kyle, who was listening to me, pointed to his handsome face and smiled at me. ¡°Oh, that was me. Owner.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°It was me who was dispatched that day.¡± My eyes widened. No, you mean that 10-year-old little chestnut was helping me? He was very cool, good at shooting a magic gun. ¡®Winston¡¯s are amazing.¡¯ While he was talking about how he flowed into the Forest earlier, I had already heard the explanation that he had been going out to the subjugation sites of magical beasts since he was 8-years-old. ¡ªNow it was a bit of a match. The shy 10-year-old boy was the same person as the phantom thief boy who brutally wielded bullets and bravely rescued the girl from the prince. This particularly shy, innocent handsome man with square-rimmed glasses¡­ ¡­Was same person as the ¡®Leader of Larva¡¯, nicknamed the cruel murderer. ¡®He can do that.¡¯ There seemed to be a lot of different sides to this man, apparently. ¡°But I have a question.¡± ¡°Anything.¡± ¡°What happened to Circe after that?¡± After saving me, more than 10 years have passed and Circe and Balrog had disappeared. Instead, the new ¡®Larva¡¯ and ¡®Kine¡¯ appeared. I was curious about the circumstances in between. Kyle¡¯s answer came as a bit of a shock to me. ¡°Circe has been disbanded. My father and I lived as the ¡®Magical Beast Subjugation Team¡¯ for about 10 years to escape Gerard¡¯s wanted list.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Without realizing it, I stopped walking. Kyle looked back at me slowly and said, ¡°We cut off Gerrard¡¯s pursuit of a certain girl, and fought against the beasts on the outskirts.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°And six months ago, I made Larva and returned to Bayonaire.¡± ¡°W-What did you say?¡± Because of me¡­ The fate of a family changed? Of course, he was at odds with Gerard, who has a reputation for persistence, and he assumed that it would be difficult for the family to remain safe in the country. But they disbanded and hid outside. ¡®The father and son spent more than 10 years on the battlefield¡­¡¯ Only, for me. The battlefield would not have been easy for a young boy growing into a teenager. If he had come to Bayonaire six months ago, he would have had his coming-of-age ceremony on the battlefield with blood. I was heartbroken. I bit my lips and asked. ¡°Why did you help me so much?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Kyle was silent. He just stared at me calmly with those dark green eyes that I thought at once was like a swamp. There was thirst in his eyes. He supported my hands with both of his and placed my face in my hands. He lowered his eyes and whispered. ¡°Because it is you. There is no better reason than that.¡± ¡ªHis breath was hot. ¡°My Owner.¡± It was an unbelievable reason. ¡°I, uh, what the hell am I¡­¡± Kyle Winston, he knelt slowly on the shore of the lake at sunset. Before I knew it, we went round and round, and we were there again. ¨DThe breathtakingly fragrant lilac cluster. Kyle took a small box out and opened it. It was a ¡®ring¡¯. To her question of what on earth he was, he simply replied: ¡°You are my ¡®everything¡¯.¡± At that moment when my heart was strangely warm, his sweet, plump lips parted. ¨DWith eyes like a deep, deep swamp, who had longed for only one person. ¡°Miss Annette.¡± I swallowed my breath precariously. ¡°Marry me.¡± CH 75 I was speechless for a while. The single flower that the 10-year-old boy offered while trembling had now turned into a dazzling diamond ring. The man in front of me looked as if he could pull out his heart. However¡­ For me, it was a little sudden. Kyle carefully observed the change in the girl¡¯s expression. Soon, I closed my eyes and opened my mouth. ¡°Kyle, I¡ª¡± ¡°I know. I know this proposal is sudden.¡± He smiled so that I wouldn¡¯t feel burdened, very kindly. ¡°I mean nothing to you. So,¡± Suddenly, the forlorn smile disappeared, leaving only eager eyes. ¡°Could you give me a chance?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°A chance for me to be of any ¡®meaning¡¯ to you.¡± Instead of putting the ring on my finger, Kyle pressed the ring case into my hands. Then he wrapped his hot hand around the back of that little hand, pressed it to his forehead, and whispered. ¡°At that time, I want to be your man.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The light of the sunset gently hovered over his hair that resembled autumn, and the lake was calmly beautiful. ¨DThe scent of lilac was still breathtakingly thick in the afternoon. A man ¡®proposed¡¯ to me. It was an unexpected sweet accident. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ The accident has been messing with my head for a while. After closing the business the next day, until the afternoon of a late lunch. Swiik, swiik. I sliced onions into the stew and scooped out a spoonful from the simmering cast iron pot. ¡®Hmm, perfect.¡¯ ¡°Noah, let¡¯s eat!¡± ¡°Thank you, Annette.¡± Today after closed, Noah came to this place saying he was worried that the gas lamp would not be fixed. This time, holding a rather sturdy stick. I decided to eat with Noah. There was nothing like baking and cooking to organize my thoughts. As I ate warm bread and stew, I pondered. ¡®¡­It¡¯s a sudden proposal.¡¯ I had heard all the facts, but honestly, I was a little embarrassed. Actually, I didn¡¯t even know who I got the proposal from. I guess I got it from the shy bread fan of . Or maybe it was from the son of an ¡®aspiring father-in-law¡¯ who once trembled and offered flowers from behind the sofa. Or maybe it was given by the leader of Larva, the heinous killer, Kine. Even the last one, a pervert who romantically laid out red roses to beat someone¡­ Ah, right! That¡¯s not it (he blushed as he said no, they were the remnants of Delphi). ¡®It¡¯s shocking that it¡¯s all one person.¡¯ Ah, the variety of life. ¡°It¡¯s delicious, Annette.¡± Noah ate the bread with his watery eyes shining. ¡®Heuk-heuk, cute guy.¡¯ It was healing just looking at it. ¡°Is it delicious? Eat a lot, Noah. I am so reassured that you came to protect me today!¡± As I smiled, Noah¡¯s cheeks turned red. Looking at Noah somehow reminded me of that shy little chestnut Kyle. The little boy was also really, really cute. ¡°After I become an adult, can I formally propose to the Lady?¡± He was like a baby bulldozer. So I replied to make the baby happy, but¡­ ¡°Okay, gentleman!¡± I rubbed my forehead and grabbed the spoon. ¡°Ah. I shouldn¡¯t have made a promise!¡± Some babies grow up and keep their promises from 10 years ago! Stupid Annette, why didn¡¯t you know? Noah asked, tilting his head. ¡°What promise are you talking about? Annette.¡± ¡°¡­Nothing.¡± I thought as I ate the bread mechanically. ¡ªI never thought of getting married. To be honest, there were many men who courted me while I was running this little bakery, so I was not unfamiliar with this kind of feeling, but it was my first marriage proposal. Of course, I always wanted to have my own family someday. My future dream of being a bakery owner had come true. Now all I needed to do was have a family (I was pretty goal oriented). Nevertheless, if he had asked for an answer to the proposal on the spot, it would have been ¡®no¡¯. ¡®I don¡¯t know him well yet.¡¯ However. ¡°Could you give me a chance?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°A chance for me to be of any ¡®meaning¡¯ to you.¡± What he wanted was a simple opportunity. ¡®¡­It is cruel to refuse even that.¡¯ I took a quick bite of rye bread, and brought a pen and paper to the table, where we were still eating. ¡®Anyway, I have to convey the message I was thinking of yesterday. To Mr. Kyle.¡¯ Following Circe¡¯s work, it was a little burdensome for Larva to escort me so closely. So, first, I asked him to remove the escorts around . It¡¯s been more than 10 years now, and Gerard¡¯s pursuit didn¡¯t seem like a big threat. Due to his respectful nature, he would probably bite it immediately upon receiving this message. ¡°And this¡­¡± I took the ring case out of my pocket and placed it lightly on the table. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Then, Noah saw the ring and dropped his spoon. ¡°Noah, eat using a new one.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I gave him a new spoon and took the letter to the window. And then, by the window, whee¡ª I whistled. In the way Kyle taught me yesterday. Soon, a cute squirrel ran towards me with its black eyes shining. ¡°Hi?¡± I handed it some walnuts first, then stroked its hair, and handed the letter I had written to the chubby squirrel. ¡°Thank you.¡± The squirrel took the letter, quickly climbed the tree and disappeared. I came back with an audible exhale. Then Noah commented with a very dark face. ¡°¡­Annette, it looks like you got a proposal. From that ¡®uncle¡¯ from last time.¡± The water-colored eyes dimmed as if he had suffered a broken heart. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± I replied offhandedly. ¡°Take¡­ Will you accept it?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s still ¡®pending¡¯. The truth is, I don¡¯t know him yet.¡± ¡®He seemed to know me well though.¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Noah¡¯s eyes twinkled again. Uh, what. This ominous feeling. ¡°Then I swear. When I become a good adult later, I will definitely ask Annette¡­ yum.¡± In Noah¡¯s mouth sat a baguette, which I had placed in his mouth like a lightning bolt. I smiled and winked. ¡°Shall we eat some more bread?¡± ¡®I¡¯m sorry, kid, I¡¯ll refuse any further wedding proposals.¡¯ Whew, it seemed that the trend of marriage proposals was circulating in the neighborhood like a plague. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ That night. The moon in the night sky was red today. ¡®When are they going to fix the gas light?¡¯ Glancing out of the window and at the misty fog in the dim moonlight, I entered my house. ¡°They¡¯re just taking taxes¡­¡± The conscientious taxpayer was offended. I muttered to myself as my cheeks became puffy. ¡°Damn it, this Fris Empire.¡± In the end, I had to rely on the lamp fire again today. I sighed and brought the World Daily to the table. Finally got time to read this. It¡¯s been an eventful few days¡­ It was thanks to the carnivorous stag that went back and forth between a murderer and a innocent deer for a few days. ¡®Still, it was good to go out to Lake Thalys yesterday.¡¯ If I didn¡¯t go out¡ª ¡®I¡¯d keep thinking he¡¯s crazy.¡¯ In truth, he was a grateful stag. I opened the back page of , and there were often ¡®small and cute contents¡¯ about the island of Bayonaire, the place of issue. I had a habit of reading from there. ¡®Is it like my little healing?¡¯ ¡¸According to the available information, Larva declares war on Delphi, ¡°You touched the bakery, so I will destroy your three tribes.¡±¡¹ ¡°¡­Crazy.¡± ¡®Are you going to destroy their three tribes just because they touched a bakery?¡¯ They touched a bakery¡­? As the owner of that ¡®bakery¡¯, I really want to stop you, Kyle. I shook my head. ¡°Certainly, to some extent, he seems crazy.¡± Thank you, but it¡¯s a bit of a dense(?) deer. Let¡¯s give up on healing. Thinking that I should just read the first page of ¡®World News¡¯, I ripped off the paper that the salesman had pasted. It was then. Suddenly, a wind blew from somewhere and turned off the lamp. ¡°Huh?¡± Darkness engulfed it in an instant. At the same time, the headlines were revealed in the dim moonlight. ¡¸Crown Prince of El Dorado- The Fris Empire was slaughtered and the battle was won. Who is the ¡®Annette¡¯ he is looking for? ¡¹ ¡°¡­¡­?!¡± My eyes widened as I read the article. The moment I felt fate¡¯s betrayal, who thought it was a happy ending and thought things had ended like this. The door opened with a heavy crashing sound, as if it was about to break. Thump thump, thump thump. My heart started pounding. A strange man stood at the door. He was close to 190 centimeters tall, and his shoulders were wide enough to fit through the door. The silhouette in the mist and moonlight was like a ¡®beast¡¯ that came to devour me. I flinched in fear. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Thud, thud. He walked towards me like a graceful beast. The man was wearing the crown prince¡¯s garments, but the shirt inside was not fully buttoned. A chest that looked like armor and a belly that clearly followed the shape of muscles. There was also a scar that looked like it had been torn by an animal. As the man got closer, his face was revealed under the moonlight. ¡°You are here, Annette.¡± Under his black hair, like a night when no one was there, were his eyes, red to the point of being sore. ¡®Sislin¡­!¡¯ I swallowed a scream and looked at him. Without realizing it, I hesitated and took a step backwards. At that moment, he approached quickly and grabbed my slender waist with a large hand. He whispered In a voice full of deep thirst. ¡°¡­Caught.¡± My heart sank. CH 76 ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ Larva¡¯s headquarters. There was a slight tension inside the headquarters, which was neatly cleaned up for the first time in a long time. It was because¡­ Yesternight, their master who was going to confess the truth to Miss Annette did not return. ¡°¡­If he hasn¡¯t come back yet, maybe he¡¯s been dumped?¡± ¡°Surely Miss Annette didn¡¯t look at the Master with ¡®that look¡¯.¡± ¡°¡®That look¡¯? What kind of eyes are those?!¡± ¡°Why? The facial expressions and eyes that women make when they see us! Just looking at those eyes makes me lose my nerve.¡± The one-eyed man who was listening quietly said, ¡°Women, at least, don¡¯t show those expressions and eyes to Master.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because that¡¯s what a ¡®beautiful man¡¯ means.¡± One-eye calmly showed a mirror to one of the ferocious-looking men. ¡°Ugh!?!¡± The man who had cleaned the floor 19 times two days ago, looked in the mirror and was startled. And after a few seconds. He rubbed his chest and sighed in relief. ¡°¡­I thought it was a criminal. Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The members of Larva nodded their heads. Their one-eyed comrade¡¯s words were now fully understood. Just then, the door opened and the head of Larva, Kyle, appeared. Everyone looked at their master with attention. There were a lot of things they wanted to ask, but everyone seemed to hesitate. Kyle brushed off his collar and buried himself deep into the sofa. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± It was really burdensome. Kyle felt like 30 owls with eyes the size of a single giant owl were staring at him (only the one-eyed man gave half the burden). Kyle clenched his lips, then made a brief announcement. ¡°I proposed to her.¡± At the same time, cheers erupted to the extent that the headquarters shook. ¡°Woahhhhh, ah!¡± ¡°Wow! Really?! Master!¡± Some of the members hugged each other and wiped their tears with expressions of, ¡®It¡¯s done, that¡¯s it!¡¯ The master that was like a mugwort, who bought new chocolates and flowers every day for six months, even made a ¡®proposal¡¯. ¡°I confessed all the truth of the past and asked for forgiveness. She also¡­¡± Kyle blushed at the thought of Annette. ¡°She forgave me like an angel.¡± A member of Larva, the one who had wiped the floor 19 times and was surprised by looking in the mirror earlier, blinked his eyes and thought. ¡®Are you saying that once you¡¯ve been forgiven, you charged into the proposal right away?¡¯ ¨DIs that so? He asked, expressing himself. ¡°Master, didn¡¯t Miss Annette look like this?¡± In the face of a scornful expression and eyes, Kyle said as if he did not speak the same language. ¡°Not at all.¡± ¡ªThat¡¯s it. Wounded by how unfair the world was, the guy who wiped the floor 19 times (hereinafter, #19) slumped down into a seat.¡­ He sank weakly. Then, the one-eyed man who was listening to them asked, ¡°How was Miss Annette¡¯s reaction?¡± ¡°Well. Anyway, I was just asking for a chance. It will be up to me to win her heart in the future.¡± One-eye made an ¡®oh¡¯ expression. ¡°I thought she needed time to accept it.¡± ¡ªIt was a pretty good decision. ¡°Good job. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll succeed in winning Miss Annette¡¯s heart! Unless there is a ¡®blocker¡¯.¡± One-eye thought. Kyle confessed his feelings from the bottom of his heart, and he was truly a wonderful and handsome man, so if nothing went wrong, Miss Annette would fall in love with him. A giant who was eating cookies piped up. ¡°What disturber? If they show up, you can kill them all.¡± Well, that was right. Everyone seemed to agree with that opinion. It was then. A little squirrel arrived at the headquarters. As soon as Kyle checked the letter, his pupils shook slightly. ¡°¡­She sent me a letter.¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡°Wow! Our Master is getting married!!¡± Kyle wiped his lips and gave orders to his subordinates, who were more excited about it. ¡°Everyone, calm down. It¡¯s just a letter.¡± ¨DStill, Kyle was red up to the nape of his neck. He couldn¡¯t believe she sent him a letter. When he tried to open the letter, his hands were shaking because it was so precious. At that time, one of the members of Larva had the courage to take the letter and read it out for him, and Kyle thought it would be better to hand it over (everyone seemed to be dying of curiosity anyway). It was #19 that took the letter. ¡°Dear Kyle.¡± He imagined a girl¡¯s sensibility and read it out with ease. ¡°Did you get home safely last night? I went in well.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The other members of Larva immediately drove out the ¡®Annette imitation¡¯ with violence, and handed over the letter to the chubby man instead. He read it clearly, showing his golden teeth. ¡°I wrote to ask you a favor.¡± It was ¡®Loud Annette¡¯, but it was worth listening to. ¡°Please withdraw the members of Larva around . It¡¯s hard to feel as comfortable as before, knowing that my surroundings are guarded. Please.¡± It was very calming. It wasn¡¯t the ¡®pounding¡¯ they were expecting. Kyle, who had been listening quietly, opened his mouth. ¡°Do exactly what she asks.¡± ¡°Yes, Master.¡± After all, in the past 10 years, Gerard¡¯s tracking team had never even approached the area around . They could not even live on the island of Bayonaire. Due to several layers of elaborate guards to Bayonaire, they were mostly found dead on the continent. Therefore he thought it was safe to withdraw. Besides, on this island, there was also himself. If he had been far away, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to grant her request. ¡°What, is that all?¡± #19 asked with a slightly disappointed expression. It was the same with other members. Chubby scratched his bearded chin, and went, ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°There¡¯s one more line at the end.¡± ¡°What? What!¡± ¡°Talk, tell us right away.¡± At that moment, when all the members were concentrating, Chubby shouted out resolutely. ¡°Then, bye!¡± Boom. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± This bastard was a very crazy punk. Just when the people of Larva were about to begin their violence again, the one-eyed man who flipped to the back of the letter said, ¡°Wait, stop! There really is something else behind it.¡± Murmur, murmur. Everyone bowed their heads like meerkats and gathered at the back of the letter. The twist was on the back page. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The eyes of all in Larva widened as they read the contents. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ My fingertips were burnt. The tip of my tongue was dry. I couldn¡¯t say anything as I saw Sislin, who had appeared for the first time in 10 years. ¡®Why are you here, Sislin?¡¯ I immediately remembered the article I had seen earlier. The article said that he destroyed the Fris Empire in order to find me. Suddenly, like a thunderbolt, I realized. ¡®The happy ending is ruined.¡¯ The original ¡®obsessive maniac¡¯ grew up just like the original, but changed the subject of his obsession. ¨DTo a girl who parted from him about 10 years ago. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Sensing the danger, I took a step backwards, slapping his hand that was on my waist. He looked down at his hand, which had been sharply removed by the girl, and then gazed intently at the retreating figure. Thud-ak¡ª The party cake, which I had made in my spare time, fell onto the floor; I pushed it by accident. It was a farewell cake. A cake made to celebrate a happy ending and to send the main characters away. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Sislin staggered and quickly caught up with those steps that faltered and slowed down like a cornered little rabbit. His shoes stood by her little ankle, kicking the farewell cake mercilessly. His red eyes looked down at her. It was the eyes that were exhausted; I was unable to comprehend what was inside. ¡°Annette is still small.¡± He drew closer to my face, squeezing the table that had blocked my escape with his muscles and arms as strong as iron. ¡°Not me.¡± It was a low, gentle voice. He was smirking. I thought; ¡®Is this the real Sislin?¡¯ It was so unfamiliar. Because the look of the Sislin I remembered wasn¡¯t like that. I still only remembered how young he was. The man, huge like that of a beast that suddenly popped out was simply unfamiliar. ¡ªHence, I didn¡¯t even say a word. ¡°Annette, remember?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Sislin¡¯s drew closer to my shoulders and leaned his forehead against mine. ¡°When you left me¡­ What expression was I making?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± In an instant, memories of the past poured in my head and mixed with the present. ¡°You two there. Where are you going, sneaking around like a mouse in the middle of the night?¡± Sislin, who trembled with a blanket over him like a ghost. ¡°Normal children are born with love. But sometimes there are children who are just ¡®feces¡¯ of sexual desire.¡± ¡°Just like you.¡± Abusive language that two of us had to endure together. But in the end, at the last moment when I left Sislin behind¡ª ¡°Annette¡ª!¡± ¡°Sislin, stop, go back! Please, please!!!¡± What a sad expression the boy had. ¡°Annette¡­¡± I remembered everything. The unfamiliar man in front of me was finally registered as the ¡®Sislin¡¯ that I cherished. I gently wrapped my arms around his shoulders in regret. And called him out loud for the first time inba while. ¡°¡­Sisl.¡± Like before, affectionately and tenderly. Then, Sislin, who grew up to be as big as a beast, raised his head. Red eyes flashed. ¡°You can¡¯t go anywhere anymore.¡± The man, who had dug into the girl¡¯s guilt, casually grabbed and hugged her. As if swallowing her whole. ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± Then he ¡®stole¡¯ her away. Ame: SISLIN IS BACK!!!! And I can just see it now ¡ª Kyle and the men of Larva going to the bakery for the party, only to find it deserted and the cake destroyed! Then they¡¯ll chase after Sislin, and, DRAMAAAAA! Tassie: Ahhhhhh the Larva members have me cackling hahahahah they are always so hilarious!!! And ahhhhhh my bby sislllll well not really small anymore lol. This is gonna be a shitshow XD CH 77 ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ On the back of Annette¡¯s letter, it was written in her clean and pretty handwriting. ¡¸Kyle. Also, I invite the friends who have protected me for a long time to the party. The theme of the party is ¡®a party for a small happy ending¡¯. Delicious food will be prepared. So, please, my old friends, please join the party and have fun. Sincerely, Annette. PS: No firearms allowed.¡¹ ¡°¡­She called us friends.¡± A wave of emotion swirled among the men of Larva. ¡®Are guys like us your friends?¡¯ #19 clenched his fists and trembled. ¡°I will protect Miss Annette for the rest of my life. There is no betraying her now.¡± ¡°As I heard, she¡¯s truly an angel! So warm!¡± ¡°Even her writing is beautiful. Are all women good at writing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that. The letter that One-eye brought last time was also written by a woman, but the handwriting was wavy.¡± One-eye quietly answered. ¡°The letter was written by my mother.¡± ¡°I wondered if the wavy shape was a work of art. It went beyond the realm of writing. Your mother is amazing.¡± One member¡¯s pupils trembled as he showed a double thumbs-up. Then another member said, ¡°P-Poetic, even the letters, a scent¡­!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Kyle stole the letter from the vicious faces that were collectively ¡®sniffing¡¯ the scent so that he could smell it too. Then he read it carefully and smiled silently. The mere invitation to the party made everyone fall for her. Kindness and consideration stood out in each word. ¡®I couldn¡¯t help but love you.¡¯ ¡°Master, can we go to the party too?¡± ¡°Of course. She invited all of us.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± There were bright smiles on everyone¡¯s faces. Kyle resolutely spoke to the ¡®savage men¡¯. ¡°But everyone should have a neat appearance.¡± ¡°All right!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t help my eyes and nose, but I will dress as cleanly as possible!¡± Everyone looked into a mirror with excitement and prepared their faces, and some talked about the clothes they were going to wear that day. Also, some guys said they wanted to go shopping. One-eye took out a ¡®glass eyeball¡¯ from a wooden box and put it in carefully (it was his treasure that was only worn on important days). It was the first time these people, who had lived as ¡®people in charge of cruelty and fear¡¯, were invited to a party. The atmosphere was very amiable and lively. It was then. ¡°¡­¡­?¡± The ¡®L¡¯ initial that was shining in the center of Larva¡¯s headquarters flashed. ¡ªTa-chak. A letter was spit out of it. One-eye was the first to discover it, and he picked up the letter and reported it to Kyle. ¡°It¡¯s a teleport letter from the Marquistate of Winston, Master.¡± The guild¡¯s initial was the Winston Direct Teleport, primarily used to receive letters sent from the residence of Marquis Winston. When a letter came, whatever it was, the butler would put it in the teleportation machine. Kyle accepted the letter. Then he frowned. ¡°It has the seal of the imperial family.¡± He had a feeling that it would be troublesome. Just as expected¡ª ¡¸Marquis Kyle Winston. Demonic beasts have risen in the northern part of the Demon Zone. In particular, a beast with the body of a lion and the face of an eagle is harming people. Please fulfill your duty as the Beast Subjugation Squad.¡¹ ¡°Tsk, it¡¯s a Griffin.¡± At a time like this. Kyle was still officially in El Dorado. Hence, he had no choice but to go to the border. It was Winston¡¯s honor to protect the empire, and now Kyle had inherited that honor. Everyone raised their massive, muscular arms in the midst of this silence. ¡°Then, we can¡¯t go to the party?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Kyle Winston swiftly grabbed the revolver-type magic gun that was on the table. Whirlik. The gun fit perfectly in his hand and went round and round like it was part of his body. ¡°We¡¯ll kill them as soon as possible and join the party.¡± Everyone¡¯s faces brightened. If a Winston said so, it would be kept. ¡°Larva!¡± ¡°Larva! let¡¯s go!¡± The dark guild, which terrified everyone, left for the North in an instant. It was time to become the Guardian of Light to protect the imperial people. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡®I¡¯ve been tricked.¡¯ Sislin, who had kidnapped me while I was careless and put me in a carriage to the Imperial Palace, was looking at me calmly from one side. I bit my lips. ¡®He¡¯s so mean, he reminded me of the past and caught me off guard.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t obviously guilt inducement. ¡ªHe was very different from before. Only his name was Sislin, it¡¯s not ¡®my cute baby beast¡¯ Sislin. Because that innocent boy couldn¡¯t do this. Dalgak, dalgak. The carriage was running frantically on the foggy road, and the view outside the window was inexorably distorted. I didn¡¯t know where we were going. I became sensitive, and I deliberately raised the blade a little and called him. ¡°Your Highness the Crown Prince.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Sislin, who was half lying in the luxurious imperial carriage, raised his thick eyebrows. Unlike before, it was an expression of annoyance that I used the obvious ¡®line-drawing¡¯ title. I asked with a calm smile. ¡°Where are we going now?¡± ¡°My house.¡± ¡°The Imperial Palace?!¡± Oops, my voice was too loud. He raised the corners of his mouth and nodded his head. ¡®What are you nodding at?¡¯ ¡®You maniac, if I go to the Imperial Palace, what should I do with my bakery?¡¯ The self-employed person thought of the store first. Besides, I had invited a lot of people to the party. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Let¡¯s run. It¡¯s my specialty to run anyway. I also slipped away from Gerard, couldn¡¯t I do the same this time? Once I popped out and returned, I¡¯ll grab the valuables from the store, send out the party cancellation letter, and then go into hiding. It was a waste to abandon , but it wouldn¡¯t hurt to go to another island and start a small bakery again. ¡®Since I¡¯m the best baker.¡¯ ¡°You can call my name like before.¡± While I was thinking so, Sislin leisurely spoke up. For now, I didn¡¯t want to do anything he wanted. ¡®I¡¯ve never been kind to a bad kid, Sislin.¡¯ Adults were no exception. I raised my lips, strangely thorny. ¡°How can I? The Crown Prince is capturing even a self-employed person who stands still. A commoner like me who can¡¯t do anything should be respectful.¡± ¡°¡ªThis.¡± His lips curled slowly. ¡°I am hated.¡± He looked thrilled to be hated. It certainly looked like fun. ¡®Crazy.¡¯ Which part is exciting? ¡°¡­Wait, can I just pack my luggage and go?¡± I knew the properties of an obsessive maniac. The more the subject struggled, the more obsessed he would become. ¡°If I can just pack my luggage, I¡¯ll follow you quietly.¡± It was a good workaround that I came up with in a hurry. I smiled gently. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The cheek muscles under the red eyes that looked at me twitched. His lips rose nicely¡­ ¡­Showing his white teeth. ¡°No.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The body, which had been relaxed, suddenly came closer to me. And the stare I encountered¡­ I was tense for a moment. His hard chest got close enough to hold me down. The body scent tickling the tip of my nose was very masculine. ¡ªTo the extent that it felt like a stimulus. My head was a little dizzy. He brought his lips down to my ear and whispered in a languid voice. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re thinking of running away.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Give up.¡± ¡®But, what will my life be like if I get caught like this?¡¯ I turned my head to face him and opened my mouth. Pretty brazenly. ¡°When I reach the Imperial Palace, what will I do?¡± Though, perhaps my pupils were trembling. His red eyes darkened as if it caught his attention, and he gazed intently at me. ¡°Let¡¯s live together. In my room.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Even in the original, you had a separate room! (TL/N: she¡¯s likely saying that Sislin kept Heinrich in a separate room in the original.) His large hand wrapped around my quivering jaw for a moment, and he whispered in a low tone. ¡°You¡¯ll breathe by my side, laugh only by my side, cry only by my side¡­ You will eventually die by my side.¡± ¡®This crazy guy.¡¯ When I was visibly startled, he rolled his eyes and smiled. Then, he covered his mouth with that large hand as if sharing a joke, then continued, ¡°Annette.¡± I wanted to ignore what he was saying, but I automatically listened out of curiosity. ¨DA playful voice crept into my earlobe, it touched intrusively. ¡°I may not even give you clothes.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± My face turned red with embarrassment at the unfamiliar remark. It was then. Before I was even aware of it, I felt a pretty tough pressure on my wrist. ¡°¡­¡­?¡± CH 78 Suddenly, he dropped his overwhelmingly huge shoulders and sat down next to me, raising an arm leisurely. Then, fwiikk¡ª My wrist went up with his. ¡®Crazy.¡¯ There was a string connecting our wrists. Whatever kind of ¡®power¡¯ it had, the red string was shining softly, and it looked very tough at first glance. ¡°Annette. If you want to leave me.¡± The red eyes tinged with madness were curved. He whispered lowly. ¡°Cut my wrist off and run away.¡± My heart sank. If I went with Sislin like this, I would have to be with him forever, like a pair of birds locked in a cage forever. ¡®Let¡¯s be calm. Sislin¡¯s tendencies, I know them.¡¯ ¡®If I shake him even a little, he will swallow me in one bite, and he won¡¯t let me go.¡¯ ¡®I have to keep my mind straight.¡¯ Even if I was caught by the dragon¡¯s claws, I would survive if I kept my senses. ¡°Your Highness the Crown Prince.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± He still didn¡¯t like the way I called him the crown prince. I could tell just by looking at him. Sislin still wanted to be close to me. If so, I might be able to use that heart a little bit. ¡­For my survival. ¡°If this goes on, I will spend the rest of my life hating the Crown Prince. Until death.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Is that what you want?¡± Widening my eyes, I spoke coldly. I hoped there would be a small blow, but Sislin¡¯s response was ambiguous. He smoothed his chin and said only this. ¡°That¡¯s a bit difficult.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Pretty much.¡± ¡®¡­Anyway, I¡¯m in trouble, right?¡¯ With a calm expression on my face, I said, ¡°I have my own life. Here on the island of Bayonaire, the bakery I built, my neighbors¡­ They are all things I love.¡± ¡°Now that I hear that you love them, I want to burn it all down.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± ¡®What the hell is this, you idiot?¡¯ Resting his chin on his long fingers, his sensitive eyes touched me, and he said, ¡°Because I¡¯m jealous.¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t really love them that much.¡± He burst out laughing at my flexible evasion strategy. ¡°But they¡¯re precious.¡± I added firmly. This wasn¡¯t the only reason he couldn¡¯t hold me like this. ¡°And one more. You can¡¯t monopolize me if I go to the palace like this.¡± It sounded cringey even to myself, but this must be an important factor for that ¡®obsessive maniac¡¯. Anyway, what the other person wanted was me. Unsurprisingly, the red eyes held me still, then asked me back briefly. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°As you may know, Gerard is still looking for me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Perhaps if I go to the Imperial Palace, he will frantically try to take hold of me. You know? That I have a ¡®special¡¯ ability.¡± I was speaking without hesitation. ¡°Gerard knows its worth and is trying to get me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Even if my opponent is the Crown Prince, I will never give up. Besides, I was going to be adopted, so there¡¯s enough ¡®justification¡¯.¡± If Gerard pressed under such circumstances, it would be difficult to monopolize me. Gerard was, surprisingly, still a reputable prince among the people of the empire (the World Daily has occasionally confirmed his popularity). If such a Gerard came forward and made things public, it would be difficult to respond. No matter how Sislin was, if the public opinion of the whole El Dorado was the same, it would be hard to ignore. ¡®Unless you want to brutally slaughter them all and become an emperor of a poor empire.¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I faced Sislin. Sharp red eyes that looked like they had been cut with a knife. It was a very different look from before. I couldn¡¯t figure out what kind of things my ¡®Sisl¡¯ had to go through and how it had changed him. I had no idea how he had lived in the 10 years without me. I was afraid he would try to swallow me when he calmed down, so I looked at him proudly with my back and neck straight. ¡°You don¡¯t want to be hated by me.¡± The corners of his lips finally rose. ¡°That¡¯s cruel, Annette.¡± ¡®¡­Am I cruel? Isn¡¯t that you, Sislin, an obsessive maniac?¡¯ My questions were completely answered by his next words. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for you like crazy for 10 years, and now you¡¯re trying to tame me with my affection.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± For a moment, his current appearance overlaid with the young Sislin. That little pitiful boy who had crawled out of the dark cave and lived only with me. But I tried not to be shaken. ¡®¡­Don¡¯t be weak.¡¯ The strategy worked. Sislin grabbed my hair with a hand twice as large as mine, and touched it with his lips. Even the hair, which had no sense of touch, seemed to feel the heat. Maybe it was because of those red eyes that seemed to swallow me up. ¡°You must obey.¡± The low-pitched voice seemed shriveled up. ¡°For now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± It was a declaration from a man like a ferocious beast, who appeared to know nothing about obedience. I was clearly aware of this ¡®power relation¡¯. No matter how much he was the crown prince of this country, the weak had always been the preferred side for him in this relationship. ¨DIt was a little cruel, but it was fortunate. The fact that I had a position where I could defeat him, being pushed by power. ¡®Done. I can get out of here now.¡¯ ¡®If he lets me go, I can go back and do as I had planned.¡¯ I was confident that I would hide better if I succeeded because it was my second escape. Wasn¡¯t I quite experienced? Then, for the rest of my life, at least I wouldn¡¯t live a life where I was caught by an obsessive maniac. It was then. It was pronounced as if Sislin chewed the word and spit it out. ¡°However.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± However? Why did ¡®however¡¯ appear? What, just let me go for free. ¡°You should swear an oath to not run away.¡± Red eyes stared intently at me. ¡°¡­I swear.¡± I laughed quietly. ¡°I told you, I won¡¯t leave because my store is here.¡± At that moment, Sislin¡¯s face came closer. I relaxed a bit, and now I could see his face well. He grew up really well. Black hair that seemed to have swallowed up the night. The sharp red eyes under thick eyebrows and the masculine line from a straight forehead to a pointed nose were absolutely perfect. He gave off a sense of intimidation unique to a predator of the human world, who never had to bow his head to anyone. He was like a mythical beast created by God to scare humans. And¡­ ¡®You¡¯re too good-looking.¡¯ If it wasn¡¯t for the situation, it would have captured my attention for a long time. For a moment, I looked at those lips, afraid of what it would say. Soon, a heavy voice came out from his throat. ¡°Tell me you won¡¯t leave my side. Forever.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡®Forever¡¯? No matter how good and handsome Sislin grew up to be, at this point, I could not help but say this again at this point. ¡®Crazy guys are in season.¡¯ I closed my eyes and reopened them. ¡°I swear. Forever.¡± Sorry for the lie, Sislin. But shouldn¡¯t I live too? It was at the time I thought that Sislin¡¯s red eyes looked happy for some reason. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Ominously, the red string that held us together began to glow. Shoo-wook¡ª Instead of connecting Sislin and I, the glowing string remained on my wrist in the form of a ¡®bracelet¡¯. ¡°¡­What¡¯s this?¡± Confused, casual speech came out. Sislin answered calmly. ¡°The artifact of the oath, ¡®Lucanto¡¯. If you break your oath, I will pay the price.¡± I didn¡¯t want to know, but I was forced to ask this question. ¡°¡­If I do, what will happen?¡± ¡°I will lose my life.¡± For a moment, my heart pounded. Was he saying ¡®if you don¡¯t want me to die, don¡¯t even think about running away?¡¯ ¡®This is crazy, Sislin.¡¯ Sislin narrowed his dark eyes and laughed like a drug addict. ¡°My heart is bursting.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯re mine.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± I looked at him in shock. Breathing in, his chest slowly rising and falling, he kissed my cheek tenderly. ¡°So, Annette.¡± The kiss was sweet, unsuitable for the situation, while the voice was firm. ¡°If you want to run away, trample on my heart.¡± For an instant, my spine stood up tight, and goosebumps rose. More than just obsession, I felt a horrendous madness. Sislin bet his life on me. It was irreversible. ¡°¡­This.¡± It felt as if I had been swept away by a huge storm, and my mind was in a mess in an instant. I barely clenched my lips. Suppressing a scream. ¡°This is too much¡­¡± ¡®To leave him, I have to kill him¡­¡¯ Then I got really curious. During my absence, what kind of life did Sislin live? What was it that made him forget to sleep, wagewars, and become the prince who slaughtered his brothers and came to find me? In the original, it was revenge. And, now? I thought I was the weakest in this relationship. The scale of this relationship was too slanted, that the opponent was holding me by their beating heart, making me unable to move. ¡°Simple.¡± His lips went up. ¡°You just have to keep your oath, Annette.¡± Sislin simply said that. The carriage made its way through the misty darkness, and soon returned to its earlier position. To the place where he stole me from. Sislin put shackles on my heart and wrist before dropping me there. He smiled, stroking his lips with his rough fingers. ¡°I¡¯ll come often, so show me around when I come.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I thought I was going crazy because I missed you.¡± The imperial carriage left quickly. I stared blankly at its back. Steadily, as if I was possessed by a ghost. Blinking, I pinched my cheek very carefully. ¡­Maybe this was a dream? Ame: *laughs like a drug addict maniacally* Tassie: Annette be like :PikaWhat: ¡°Why are all these guys crazy¡± MISS MA¡¯AM YOU MADE THEM LIKE THAT BY CONTINUOUSLY MAKING PROBLEMS YOU CAN¡¯T KEEP!!!! sToB iT!!! anyways I enjoy the madness XD CH 79 Unfortunately, my cheeks hurt. ¡®I feel weird.¡¯ Obviously, I was making a happy ending cake¡­? At a bakery on the island of Bayonaire, in the peaceful Fris Empire. But the Fris Empire collapsed. ¡®Is it possible to do what I say?¡¯ Come to think of it, the Fris Empire was destroyed, right? As I said. ¨DIf it was a novel, it was a possible setting. It was plausible. Besides, my life was pretty much flowing in the direction I decided. I closed my eyes tightly and cried out inwardly. ¡®This is a dream! Be a dream!¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­.¡± And when I opened my eyes carefully¡­ It was still real. ¡®Heck, it doesn¡¯t work as I say¡­¡¯ ¡®Cuckoo God¡­¡¯ (TL/N: ¡®Cuckoo¡¯, another term for ¡®crazy¡¯.) ¡®Why are you giving me such an ordeal when I am a good self-employed person and just a bread lover.¡¯ ¡°Ha.¡± Anyway, spectacular days were expected from tomorrow. ¡°Two crazy people in a week¡­¡± However, let¡¯s think about the positive side as much as possible. At least my store remained. I shook my head and went back into . ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°Are you just going back like this?¡± Lieutenant Owin asked his master, who left Annette behind. Owin¡¯s master, Crown Prince Sislin, was a man who spent his entire life looking for her. Even his life was longer than that of a normal human. As he spent part of his life in the rift, the ¡®Crevasse¡¯ of Hell. One hour in the Crevasse was several years in reality. So, if you added up all the time spent there, it would be a very long time. He must have lived there longer than in reality. In fact, the time spent struggling in pain for even one minute or one second must have been longer than the time spent in normal reality. ¨DAll of that. Owin knew that it was to get ¡®her¡¯. Why did he leave the woman he found after waiting for such a long time? At least, he thought he would take her straight to the Imperial Palace. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Sislin rarely responded, half-lying in the imperial carriage, looking out of the window. Then he answered. ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± The scenery outside the window was running backwards, it kept running continuously. Sislin murmured softly, as if talking to himself, with eyes clouded like a rainy day. ¡°It took my breath away just looking at her.¡± Owin found it difficult to understand. He had always been a person who wouldn¡¯t complain about his master¡¯s decisions, but this time he couldn¡¯t resist asking. ¡°Is it because of Prince Gerard? Even if you take Miss Annette to the Imperial Palace, wouldn¡¯t you be enough to stop them?¡± ¡°That is not the reason.¡± ¡°If¡ª¡± ¡°If I only wanted a part of her, I would have taken her to the Imperial Palace.¡± If Annette¡¯s shell was enough, if only her attention and hatred were enough. Sislin would have taken Annette to the Imperial Palace today. If that was the extent of his feelings for her. In an instant, his eyes, red as the sun, became hot as if they could burn everything. He whispered; ¡°I have to have her entirely.¡± Her joys and sorrows, her tears and laughter, her worries and sighs, her hopes and dreams¡­ In the end, longing heart, pleas, and even love. ¡°¡ªEverything and everything.¡± It would take time for that to happen. Only then did Owin know his master¡¯s will, and he bit his tongue cleanly. He bowed his head and said, ¡°I have secured a place in Bayonaire.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see it right away.¡± As Owin sent the message, the coachman moved the reins of the horses vigorously. Thud, thud, thud. With a magnificent sound of hoofs, the carriage ran swiftly through the darkness. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ The next day. Surprisingly, I opened my store in the morning. Even though I went through such a thing at night, I was selling bread casually and normally. I was shocked and tired yesterday. But I slept soundly, so my condition was good. So I started business more vigorously than usual. ¡®Me too, it¡¯s me¡­¡¯ ¡®Oh my gosh, it¡¯s just that I¡¯m crazy about bread.¡¯ I rubbed my nose, thinking about the madness of an obsessive baker. Then the bakery¡¯s window was wide open. The mouth-watering smell of butter and baking bread spread all around in an instant. ¡°Oh, oh, oh!¡± The customers, who had been waiting in line before the opening, had twinkling eyes. ¡®Fufu, this is why I¡¯m doing business.¡¯ I tied my blonde hair neatly into a ponytail and smiled broadly at the guests. ¡°Okay, we¡¯re now open!¡± The guests came in one by one (it was cute, like a polite group of seals trying to eat fish). I smiled at the first guest. ¡°Welcome! To . Oh my, you¡¯re first today, Mr. Genji!¡± ¡°Ha. I¡¯ve been lining up since 30 minutes ago.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± I pretended to be surprised, but I was happy inside. Haha, everyone was serious about buying bread. Mr. Genji, a farmer with a wheat beard, looked majestic because he won ¡®first place¡¯. ¡°I can finally try the breakfast menu. What¡¯s on the breakfast menu today?¡± ¡°Today, it¡¯s ¡®mushroom potage¡¯ that¡¯s cooked with plenty of onions and porcini mushrooms, paired with sweet ¡®honey bread¡¯ flavored with rosemary.¡± It was a menu composed of warmth, fragrance, and a sweet aftertaste. I also added a small whole wheat bread as an extra service. Because¡ª ¡°Ah, Mr.Genji.¡± It was because I had to tell a little disappointing news. Which was, canceling the party. ¡®The purpose of the party is gone.¡¯ Was that all? Even the cake was ruined. Actually, it was a cake for a small happy ending, but didn¡¯t the obsessive maniac appear even more crazy than the original? Besides, I didn¡¯t want to hold a party to commemorate it at a time where a strange magic was engraved on my wrist because of the artifact. Else, I was sure this party would be ¡®Annette¡¯s Ruined Ending Celebration¡¯. ¡°Oh! About the party, Annette.¡± ¡°Yes, the party is¡ª¡± Mr. Genji stroked his wheat-colored beard and smiled warmly. ¡°Hahaha, my daughter is looking forward to it!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡®¡­You¡¯re saying that at this time?¡¯ ¡°There is no such thing as a party on a small island like this. Every day, I put an X on the calendar dates with a pounding heart.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Was it that bad? I remembered the face of Mr. Genji¡¯s daughter. She was just 4-years-old. Still, because she liked sweets, her teeth were all gone, and her pronunciation was like a baby¡¯s (although she had good sentences). ¡°I lwke Satan the mwost!¡± ¡°¡­¡­?!¡± At first, she said she liked ¡®Satan¡¯ the most, so I was surprised to learn that she was a devil worshiper¡­ Turns out, it was ¡®candy¡¯. (TL/N: lolol, it¡¯s ¡®??¡¯ satang vs. ¡®??¡¯ satan.) ¡°Oh, what were you about to say, Annette?¡± I smiled kindly and told Mr. Genji. ¡°Since you won first place, I was going to offer you whole wheat bread as an extra.¡± ¡°Oh, thank you. Annette.¡± I couldn¡¯t bear to tell him the truth, so I just sent Mr. Genji away. Actually, I was going to inform each and every one of them about the cancellation of the party and apologize politely. ¡°By the way, Annette. Aren¡¯t you really looking forward to the party?¡± ¡°Hahaha. Can I wear a teddy bear costume that day?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll supply you with quality wine.¡± ¡­The villagers were more serious about the party than expected. After a bunch of customers, I stood at the counter with blurred eyes and thought. ¡®Crazy¡­ I haven¡¯t even informed a single person.¡¯ Should I have a party after all? ¡®Everyone seems to be excited except me.¡¯ To have a party to celebrate my ruin(?) ¡­Do I have to? The organizer was even Annette, me. I sighed deeply, and as I was organizing the bread, I suddenly looked at my wrist. The red marks were very clear. It felt like a tattoo. To be precise, there were fascinating flowers blooming on the line that wrapped around my wrist like a vine. It looked beautiful, but it was Sislin¡¯s life. How had he been living all this time? At first glance, it looked rough. ¡®There¡¯s a big wound on the side of his heart¡­¡¯ He didn¡¯t seem to be getting along as well as I had imagined, and my heart ached all over again. What did he go through all these years¡ª For him, as soon as we met, to entrust his life to me? ¡°¡­¡­.¡± When I was immersed in thought, I felt someone¡¯s gaze. A little kid was staring at my wrist. ¡°Ah.¡± The marks must be interesting, hm? He didn¡¯t even ask, but I was pricked and said with a smile. ¡°This is a new bracelet I bought! Isn¡¯t it pretty?¡± ¡°Annette¡¯s not wearing a bracelet! Is the baguette you are holding in your hand for sale?¡± ¡°Uh? Uh¡­¡± ¡°Please wrap up that baguette for me, I want to buy it!¡± You were looking at the baguette, not my wrist? ¡®Can¡¯t you see this mark?¡¯ I guess I was the only one who saw it. Or perhaps it was only visible to the ¡®contractor¡¯ parties. ¡®I¡¯m glad if it¡¯s that.¡¯ I gave the kid the baguette and decided to close a little early today. In the that finally became quiet, I crossed my arms and muttered. ¡°Ugh, it would be better to send a group letter to cancel the party¡­¡± That was when I was talking to myself. A squirrel came in through the open window, holding a small letter. ¡°Oh, hello?¡± Nodding¡ª The polite squirrel nodded. ¡°Kyle sent another letter¡­?¡± Come to think of it, I completely forgot. ¨DThis crazy stag. The supposedly intense new madman. I took some nuts out for the squirrel and opened the letter while leaning on a small table. And I raised my eyebrows slightly. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The content of the letter was half unexpected, and half embarrassing for me. Credits goes to Kushi for raw providing, Ame for translating, and Tassie for proofreading. CH 80 ¡¸I am writing this letter from the northern border of El Dorado. I haven¡¯t been able to tell you. I had to go on a short trip to fulfill the mission of the Beast Subjugation Team under the orders of the Imperial Family.¡¹ ¡®Ah, you weren¡¯t in Bayonaire.¡¯ Contrary to what I expected, Larva had returned to being El Dorado¡¯s excellent protective shield, the Beast Subjugation Team, and had left this place. ¨DThat was in the far northern part. I had heard of the northern border before. It was said that the mountains were rugged and infested with life-threatening beasts. Even if one used teleport, going to the monster zone in the north itself was a burden. ¡®¡­I¡¯m worried.¡¯ There was no emotion in the print, so I didn¡¯t know how Kyle felt when he had to go there. Kyle, as usual, put the contents of his message in a friendly and clean cursive style. He politely requested for me to keep quiet about everything related to ¡®Larva¡¯ and ¡®The Beast Subjugation Team¡¯. ¡®Of course, it¡¯s a secret that has been passed down from generation to generation.¡¯ Trust me, Kyle. ¡¸Thank you for the party invitation. Thanks to that, the members are all smiling even though subjugating beasts is hard work. It¡¯s the first time they¡¯ve been invited to such a party, and they all look as excited as puppies on a snowy day. After quickly subjugating the beasts, we will definitely participate. Since all of Larva¡¯s actions are kept secret, we will participate in the party as Winston¡¯s ¡®Beast Subjugation Team¡¯. I wish the villagers to know that too.¡¹ I put a hand on my forehead and sighed. ¡®¡­The party, I should do it.¡¯ It¡¯s my first party invitation. Canceling that was the devil¡¯s work. Besides, I didn¡¯t want to disappoint everyone, who were described to be excited like puppies in the snow. ¡®Damn it, I¡¯m going to have to throw a party for everyone but me.¡¯ ¡®Okay Annette, let¡¯s make a new cake.¡¯ Since this letter was a whopping two pages, I instinctively turned to the next page. There was something a little different. ¡¸Annette. It snows here in the north. It is a cruel land where hordes of beasts haunt, and the crops do not grow due to the cold. Only the night scenery is beautiful. There are countless stars in the sky, A blizzard blows like flowers in the vast snowfield. I think of you here. Whenever the night sky is beautiful, the wind blows by, and the white snowfield has no end, I hear the howling of a snow wolf in the distance¡ª I think of you. You are everything these days. I miss you. Sincerely, in the north, Kyle Winston.¡¹ The last page was read in his voice. I thought I couldn¡¯t see emotions through print. That wasn¡¯t true. Truly, I could feel how carefully he used the word ¡®I miss you¡¯. I imagined him setting up a camp tent in the white snow and relying on the light of the bonfires to write this letter. The letter smelled of a blizzard. I smiled naturally. ¡®Hmm, a letter from a poetically handsome man with sincerity.¡¯ ¡°Not bad.¡± As I said that, I eventually laughed. I put the letter down and picked up the eggs and cookware. Somehow, I gained the strength to make a cake again. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s make something very tasty.¡± He must be going through a lot right now. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ The northern monster zone. Snow falling in piles on the sheer mountain range. Among the monsters, only very powerful ones would come out here. Kyle and the Beast Subjugation Team searched this area all night long. The target was the beast ¡®Griffin¡¯. In some countries, griffins were considered mythical or sacred animals, but not in El Dorado. The griffins here could not fight their hunger and would eat people. Poof, poof. The snow fell to the knees. The sunlight, on the other hand, was bright and reflected off the snow field, making the eyes quite tired. It was a forced march in many ways. Since yesterday. ¡°F*ck, at this point, at least a griffin¡¯s tail should show up.¡± ¡°¡­Surely now is the time for it to look at us, nodding its chicken head.¡± ¡°#19 is going to freeze.¡± The other members of the Beast Subjugation Team, including #19, were stunned. They couldn¡¯t believe they hadn¡¯t seen a single one all night. Kyle said. ¡°¡ªPause for a moment.¡± He took off the helmet he was wearing. His brown hair, like a field of wheat, flowed down softly. The other members also followed the ¡®leader¡¯. ¡®Larva¡¯ and ¡®Kine¡¯ were not here. Unlike Larva, who always wore masks and cloaks and gave fear to everyone, the Beast Subjugation Team exposed their faces freely and wore the official battle uniforms bestowed by the imperial family. They were officially called . Although it was a warrior group with both nobles and mercenaries, they all rolled together on the battlefield and worked together in the dark guild. For example, while wearing this mature and stylish ¡®combat suit¡¯¡­ ¡°I need to get rid of the griffin quickly and prepare for the party~ I have to attend Miss Annette¡¯s party! If you notice, come out, you bastard!¡± ¡­And when they were making a fuss. One of the ghastly faces behaved like Cinderella who couldn¡¯t make it to the party and was furious (his face was more like the pumpkin carriage). The one-eyed man who was at the forefront with Kyle asked, ¡°Master, isn¡¯t something strange?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Kyle looked in the direction of the wind. His hair was fluttering in waves, and his field of vision was wide. He stared at the quiet end of the snowy field for a moment. Soon, he broke his silence, opening his mouth. ¡°It¡¯s certainly strange. We will stop our search here and return.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± It was a bomb-like declaration. Everyone widened their eyes. ¡°Still, it¡¯s an order from the imperial family, shouldn¡¯t we have to catch something?¡± It was then. Kyle pulled out the sword of the one-eyed subordinate standing next to him and thrust it down strongly in the middle of the snowy field. Gwyaaaaak! At the same time, what they thought was a ¡®snowy field¡¯ stood up screaming. Red jaws opened wide towards them. ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± At the roaring cry, the sky and the earth shook as if there was a landslide. Without blinking and with lightning-like reflexes, Kyle pulled out his shotgun and fired exactly one shot. His one shot never missed. Thud! The beast, whose head was punctured by the shot, fell to the floor without making a sound. The snowfield was stained with crimson blood. Wiping the remains of death from his cheek, Kyle ordered, ¡°Report this to the imperial family. And tell them that there are no traces of griffins here.¡± ¡°Yes, Master.¡± One-eyed reply quickly and neatly explained to the puzzled members. ¡°Did you see the ¡®Balax¡¯ that the Master just caught? As you know, they are prey for griffins. The fact that they¡¯re still here means this is not the griffin¡¯s habitat in the first place.¡± The Beast Subjugation Team of led by Kyle were veterans who had mastered the pursuit of magical beasts. There was a greater probability that the beast was not here than the probability that they could not find any traces. The chubby man who was listening seriously asked, ¡°Then did something go wrong in the imperial household, Master?¡± ¡°Go wrong¡­¡± Kyle¡¯s eyes darkened. Well, an out-of-pattern ¡®mistake¡¯ needed to be noticed. It¡¯s never been like this before. Kyle withdrew from the north and gave orders to One-eye. ¡°Find out who in the imperial household ordered this dispatch.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Dark green eyes sank as deep as a swamp. ¡°Which bastard is joking around.¡± ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ Deep into the night. I was filling the cake with cream and putting strawberries on for decoration. ¡®Is it a little small?¡¯ The cake I made the second time was a little smaller than the cake I made the first time. It was because the energy I had when I made the first didn¡¯t come out. ¡®¡­Like this, if you make it a third time, won¡¯t it be only as big as a booger?¡¯ Well, that¡¯s not going to happen. Anyway, the main thing was not the cake, so it was okay even if it was a little small. On that day, not only would all the breads and desserts of come out, but Miss Anais from the butcher would take care of the meat, and Mr. Jake from the greengrocery market decided to prepare fruits. Of course, there would be plenty of alcohol. ¡®Whoa, it¡¯s going to be a bountiful party.¡¯ Even though it was a party to celebrate my ruin, I was excited while preparing. ¡°Mhm, potatoes should be kept in a suitable place so they don¡¯t sprout.¡± I would make potato soup for the soup of the day. I thought for a way to keep it as fresh as possible lest there might be any sprouts. ¡®Newspapers are perfect for storing potatoes!¡¯ I brought the . ¡®¡­Last time I saw this, I was very surprised.¡¯ I glared at the headlines. Then I tore off the ¡®Sislin¡¯ article that surprised me without hesitation and wrapped the potatoes with it(a little bit of personal emotion was mixed in). ¡®Not enough.¡¯ And was when I was about to tear off the next page. Another crazy headline was brazenly set on it. ¡¸Grand Duke Heinrich, the next Tower Lord, put a bounty of 5.8 trillion gold for the sister he lost when he was young.¡¹ What? Burning 5.8 trillion gold at once to look for me? Who did such a crazy thing?! ¡ªIt was Heinrich. CH 81 ¡®¡­This amount is equivalent to the national budget of a huge empire, you crazy chihuahua.¡¯ ¡®If a person with a lot of money gets rich, does that mean they fool around with money?¡¯ I grabbed the newspaper and read the article with disbelieving eyes. The article reads: ¡®The Grand Duke said ¨C ¡®I am looking for my older sister whom I parted with in the Forest when I was young. Her name is Annette.¡¯ She was the older sister who had left him mercilessly.¡¯ ¡ªThat was written. How did the name ¡®Annette¡¯ appear twice in a global newspaper? An empire was destroyed because of ¡®Annette¡¯, and ¡®Annette¡¯ tragically parted with the grand duke, and the reward for finding her was as much as the state budget! I gave up on everything and laughed sadly with cloudy eyes. ¡®¡­At this point, am I not the villain?¡¯ I had gained notoriety all over the world. This was nonsense. I muttered in despair. ¡°You guys were so nice and happy, Sislin, Heinrich.¡± In my imagination, that is. It was all haha and hoho. ¡°Why did Heinrich become an obsessive maniac¡­?¡± Putting a bounty of 5.8 trillion gold was something that, no matter how you look at it, was what gangsters do. It was then. Suddenly, the light of the lamp went out. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡®What is this ominous rendition?¡¯ In a cold sweat, I looked at the door. Last time, when the lights went out like this, the door opened and a madman appeared. ¡­Could the heavens be so cruel? Three crazy guys in a week. ¡®It¡¯s just too much.¡¯ I went to the door nervously and peered outside. Then I carefully opened the door and poked my head out. I was wondering if there would be a ¡®grand ducal carriage¡¯ or something like that that came to pick me up. Fortunately, nothing was around. Today, thanks to the shining moonlight, even though the gas lamp was broken, there were only bright streets. I patted my chest and closed the door. ¡°Whew¡­¡± Heinrich, cruelly, appeared at a time when I was completely reassured. Wheeik¡ª Suddenly, a wind blew. I looked towards the window and found a man sitting on the window sill. A handsome man with dazzling silver hair was relaxing in the pouring moonlight. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± My heart sank. For the first time in 10 years, I met Heinrich, who had grown into a full-fledged man. The purple-colored eyes looked somewhat ripe, and his nose was as perfect as a sculpture¡¯s. Especially those luscious red lips¡ª As if nurtured by God and having eaten only the most precious things, they were arrogantly closed and shrouded in a noble light. It was beautiful and perfect. Heinrich grew up like that. It was just like when he was young. ¡°¡­Heinrich.¡± I barely called him. Soon, his red lips rose and he whispered softly. ¡°Sister. I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡®Why are you here!¡¯ I swallowed an unspoken scream. I didn¡¯t know why, but the first thought that came to me was that I had to run away; even though he was Heinrich, whom I loved and cherished so much. If I was caught, it seemed like a really ¡®big deal¡¯ would happen. I grabbed the cake and tried to go up to the second floor. (TL/N: lmao did she think she can just unsee it and move on?) ¡°Hey, well¡­ Where are you going?¡± But Heinrich was much faster than that. Jumping off the window sill, he came running like water, hugged me tightly from behind and looked down at me. ¡°Ah.¡± Tuk, the cake fell. ¡°Sister still has a cute side.¡± Heinrich said, blushing. ¡°Heinrich, hello¡­?¡± I was caught helplessly and had no choice but to say hello. Heinrich stared at my face from the side and then said admiringly. ¡°You are so pretty.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯re much prettier than I had imagined¡­ I feel like my heart is going to explode. Is it just because it¡¯s Sister?¡± Heinrich buried his head in the crook of the girl¡¯s back as if collapsing, and inhaled the body scent deeply. And whispered in a shudder; ¡°I missed you.¡± The warm whisper pierced my heart. ¡°¡­Why didn¡¯t you keep your promise? Sister, you promised not to leave me.¡± Every time he uttered in a painful voice, his breath kept tickling my skin. ¡°Heinrich¡­¡± Heinrich, who raised his head, looked diagonally down at my cheek and whispered in my ear. ¡°Lies are a bad thing.¡± The long purple eyes were curved innocently and cruelly. ¡°For a child who broke a promise¡­ What kind of punishment should I give?¡± ¡®Oh my God.¡¯ The boy I had abandoned long ago had grown into an obsessive man and was about to punish me. The body temperature behind my back was hot and his tangled hands were holding me like a spider¡¯s web. I couldn¡¯t escape. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± I stopped; trembling and closing my eyes. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ Could a person wither to death from obsessiveness? There would be only bones and a thirsty heart. ¡°You mean that all the troops looking for Annette didn¡¯t come back? You doubled the troops?¡± Gerard¡¯s aide, Avilos Theses, had a question when he looked at Gerard these days. He wondered if his master would oxidize with anger. Gerard, who was already originally looking for Annette, had been obsessed with finding the girl almost everyday since Sislin became crown prince. The child named Annette, who he almost got his hands on 10 years ago, suddenly flew away just before coming into his arms. No, she was not a child anymore. She would be a complete lady. Whether she was a child or a lady, they still, sadly, have not been able to find even the hem of her skirt. ¡ªUnbelievably. ¡°Those who returned from the chase were already dead. It seems that there are still people taking care of her.¡± It was reported by the captain who oversees the tracking team. Kwajik¡ª! The glass in Gerard¡¯s hand shattered. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it. My men are so incompetent.¡± ¡°¡­I am ashamed. Prince, please take my life.¡± The man went down on one knee in front of him. He was willing to sacrifice his head, if he did want to cut it off. But Gerard knew. The problem wasn¡¯t the management. In the past 10 years or so, countless captains had lost their lives, but few were as loyal and competent as they were now. The real problem was something else. ¡®Circe is still protecting her.¡¯ No, he couldn¡¯t call them Circe anymore, could he? Because that name disappeared about 10 years ago. Anyway, no matter what ¡®they¡¯ were called, it was clear that they were still protecting the girl. This was because when he sent a tracking team, they came back as corpses with bullet holes. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare evade responsibility by death.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Stand up and finish reporting.¡± The captain clenched his fists and stood up. Then he said, ¡°Prince, there are traces of the Crown Prince¡¯s personal military constantly examining the bodies of our pursuers.¡± ¡°It looks like he doesn¡¯t even want to hide it anymore.¡± That monster child. Gerard knew he was getting information about Annette from his chase, but he used to hide it. Like a hyena stealthily devouring corpses. However, since he became the crown prince and seized power, he was calling on Annette¡¯s name and starting a war. The corpses were being ravaged without hesitation. ¡®Even if I know that, I know that there is no human being who can stop him.¡¯ After letting the captain out, Gerard thought. ¡®The reason that monster destroyed the Fris Empire.¡¯ ¡®Didn¡¯t I hear rumors that he stole the personal information department?¡¯ ¡®It is clear that the information from the corpses of my trackers was pointing to the Fris Empire.¡¯ All this while, both Sislin and himself had limited personal forces; Gerard had no more troops to investigate the traces of his trackers¡¯ corpses. Gerard used his troops to chase Annette, and Sislin used his to chase the corpses. But now the tables were turned. If the person who walks ahead becomes different, the strategy of those who follow would also change. ¡®Now is the time to suck that monster¡¯s information.¡¯ It was time to change his ways and be smart. ¡°Avilus.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The man standing in the shadows appeared. ¡°The Crown Prince hasn¡¯t returned to the Imperial Palace yet?¡± ¡°Yes, only the soldiers have returned. The Crown Prince and his aide have not yet returned. Ostensibly, it was to lay the foundation for the rule of the Fris Empire.¡± Avilus had already completed the investigation. ¡°He has not appeared in the Imperial Palace of the Fris Empire. An official is taking over.¡± ¡°He must be looking for the girl. What¡¯s his exact location?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know yet.¡± Surprisingly, all the spies attached to monitor Sislin¡¯s every move were discovered and killed with a single blow. He had memorized all their faces. ¡ªSislin did. The faces of the thousands of troops belonging to him. Those who he saw for the first time were immediately killed. Easily, just picking out Gerard¡¯s spies. Thanks to that, his current location was unknown. ¡°Find out where the Crown Prince has gone to now. As long as he is a human, he will leave traces. Be sure to find it.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Unfortunately or fortunately, over the past 10 years of repeated failures, ¡®tracking technology¡¯ had developed beyond all expectations. He would be able to find him. The crown prince. Sislin wasn¡¯t the only person Gerard was monitoring. ¡°Has the position of Grand Duke Heinrich been revealed?¡± ¡°He is not in the capital.¡± Gerard gently stroked his chin. That ¡®Vivantum¡¯ cub went insane, putting a huge sum as Annette¡¯s bounty. Thanks to this, bounty hunters from all over the continent have caught everyone with the name ¡®Annette¡¯, and their work was on the verge of being paralyzed. ¡®It would be no coincidence.¡¯ The two who wanted Annette disappeared at the same time from the capital of El Dorado. He had a clear intuition that if he followed the two of them, he would find the girl he was longing for. Gerard chewed a cigarette and raised his eyes. Then he lit it up and gave an order. ¡°Follow them like dogs.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Until the bitch comes out.¡± Now it wasn¡¯t Annette he was looking for. To catch a rabbit. He would chase after the sharp-toothed hunting dogs. CH 82 ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°Shh, you should look at me.¡± As if it was a pity that he couldn¡¯t look into my eyes for a moment, he covered my cheeks and held me in place. To the child who broke a promise¡­ Heinrich said he would punish me. Did he really want to punish me by making eye contact? I finally opened my eyes and looked at him. Heinrich, who was right in front of my nose, was an unmatched beauty. ¡®You¡¯re so beautiful and handsome that it¡¯s burdensome.¡¯ ¡­It felt so much better than the original. It occurred to me that I wasn¡¯t doing nothing in the Forest. By now in the original story, Heinrich would have been framed as a traitor, and should have been imprisoned and become skinny. However, in the alternate reality, Heinrich had definitely changed. He was a grand duke, a genius in making magic tools, and even rich. ¡ªHe looked happy. ¡®Except, a little crazy.¡¯ ¡°Sister.¡± His voice was sweet enough to melt. Heinrich raised his eyes like a male cat trying to flirt with a female cat. ¡°Tell me, what kind of punishment do you want to receive?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t want to be punished.¡± ¡®There¡¯s no way there¡¯s a punishment I want to get, Heinri.¡¯ As I spoke calmly, he let out a low laugh. ¡°But you locked me up and left.¡± Then I remembered our last encounter. How much Heinrich cried that day. ¡°Sister, are you lying? ¡­Why did you prepare this!!! Are you really trying to leave me?¡± Heinrich, who didn¡¯t even know that he was hurting his fists, was pounding onto the shield that had imprisoned him. A pitiful face had tears dripping from his purple eyes. ¡°You said that you would be with me on my birthday, that you would stay with me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Liar.¡± Thinking about it made my heart ache. Just like that day 10 years ago. How was Heinrich that winter, on his birthday that he finally celebrated alone without me? Was he very sad? ¡°As punishment, this time, I have to lock you up.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± In an instant, I came to my senses, and looking at Heinrich, I shook my head hurriedly. In response to my terrified reaction, Heinrich widened his beautiful eyes as if in joy. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You should be locked up too. I will not do anything bad.¡± ¡®¡­Isn¡¯t being locked up bad?¡¯ ¡®What on earth are the great things you think ¡®bad things¡¯ are, Heinrich.¡¯ I cursed God in my heart. ¡®Oh God. There are too many people trying to kidnap me and lock me up.¡¯ ¨DWasn¡¯t this too much? ¡®Take a numbered ticket and wait, Heinrich.¡¯ ¡®I think I will be locked up by Sislin first.¡¯ But I couldn¡¯t really say that, so I lowered my eyes gently. ¡°Sorry. There was a situation back then.¡± Heinrich¡¯s face hardened coldly. ¡°Is that the reason why you left me?¡± ¡°¡­I couldn¡¯t help it.¡± I caressed Heinrich¡¯s cheek slowly. At that one small touch, Heinrich¡¯s eyes softened quickly. Heinrich looked at me, his eyes reddening with affection. ¡°You don¡¯t know how much I missed you.¡± I slowly clasped the hand that was holding me and turned around to face Heinrich. Then I made eye contact with him and smiled. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°¡­Lies, you don¡¯t know at all.¡± Yet, Heinrich came into my arms, clinging to me. Although he was much taller, he hugged like a child. As if he was an 11-year-old boy. Strangely, he didn¡¯t feel like a stranger to me at all. Although we had been apart for a very long time, a special feeling remained for Heinrich. To the point that the 10 years he had been apart from me were naturally filled. However, it was literally an ¡®illusion¡¯. ¡®Don¡¯t forget that Heinrich can be dangerous.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m in trouble if I provoke Heinrich now.¡¯ ¨DThe wisdom of a very simple life. Don¡¯t poke the heart of a madman who puts 5.8 trillion on your neck. ¡°I will never leave again.¡± I whispered into his reddened ear. ¡°¡­Sister.¡± Heinrich seemed moved. Normally, of course, I wouldn¡¯t make such a promise. However¡­ ¡®I can¡¯t leave anyway. Because of what¡¯s on my wrist.¡¯ So, taking advantage of this unavoidable situation, it was important to calm the chihuahua first. But then. Heinrich¡¯s beautiful eyes pierced me tenaciously. ¡°The promise not to leave¡­ Is it real this time?¡± Uh, uh. It seemed like I made a promise. Why do I feel danger? ¡°You promised, Annette.¡± ¡°¡­Yes!¡± However, it was impossible to break it now, and my wrists were already tied to invisible chains. I answered quickly. Heinrich patted my hand and quietly licked his red lips. ¡°If you break it this time, you will be punished, Sister.¡± His glamorous eyes rose to the point where he looked sultry. ¡°Then I¡¯ll do something bad.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡®Please smile prettily and don¡¯t say such scary things, Heinrich.¡¯ After calming down the over-excited Heinrich, what¡¯s next? From a young age, there was only one answer. Eat something delicious. ¡°¡­Heinrich, shall we drink milk tea together?¡± I didn¡¯t know if this would still work. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ The road from the north to Bayonaire. It was a road where he had to take the official teleportation three times. It was at the teleportation point west of the desert where the squirrel with special magical powers appeared. Feeling the desert winds, Kyle received a letter and gave the squirrel water. He got a reply from Annette. ¡¸When will you receive this letter? The tail of a squirrel that ran from the snowy field is brave and has a strong presence. Which is like a little squirrel boy. Don¡¯t get hurt.¡¹ A happy smile spread across Kyle¡¯s lips. He was incredibly happy. She was worried that he would get hurt, so he seemed to have the strength to not get hurt even if he killed all the monsters in the world. In particular, his heart squeezed upon seeing ¡®a cheering teddy bear¡¯ drawn on the footer with her unique signature. Kyle put his big hand over his lips and shrugged his broad shoulders. ¡°¡­How can you be this cute?¡± Kyle¡¯s cheeks turned red. At that moment, #19, who was spying on the letter from behind his back, said sarcastically. ¡°Aww, are you so moved by those three lines?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You wrote your letter all night long, sending a few pages. If the answer came in three lines, wouldn¡¯t it be almost a kick? Oh my gosh, I¡¯ll talk to my neighbor next door much longer than that.¡± ¡°She puts a lot into her short sentences.¡± Kyle glared at #19, his eyes gleaming eerily. ¡°And it¡¯s not three, but four.¡± She also drew a bear here. Look carefully. #19 went like, ¡®Yes¡­¡¯ with cloudy eyes. He looked at the man in love. It was very, very serious. It was then. One-eye, who was contacting the communication district on one side, quickly approached and called Kyle. ¡°Master. I got a call from headquarters. It is said that they found out who issued the imperial order.¡± ¡°Report.¡± ¡°¡­Well, this time, it¡¯s done by someone unusual.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Who misunderstood that it was a griffin, ignorantly, and gave the order? One-eyed lowered his head and said, ¡°It¡¯s ¡®His Highness the Crown Prince¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°It is said that His Highness gave the order, even stamping it himself.¡± Sislin von Axelferion? Kyle¡¯s dark green eyes deepened. ¡®He can¡¯t be mistaken.¡¯ The Sislin that Kyle knew was a natural commander of the battlefield. Although rumors had been circulating that his mind had been torn apart after his visit to the Crevasse, the authenticity was unknown¡ª At least, he wasn¡¯t an incompetent person who could cause misunderstandings on the battlefield or on a dispatch order. ¡®Not long ago, the Fris Empire was captured.¡¯ The cause was even ¡®Annette¡¯. When Kyle found out about it, he was quite shocked. Because he had no idea he wanted her. He knew they were from the same Forest, but what happened between them as children was unknown¡­ ¡­Since Sislin and Kyle didn¡¯t have overlapping times in the Forest. ¨DAfter hearing the news of the war. Upon closer inspection, it was said that Annette took care of Sislin quite a bit in the Forest. Kyle came to this conclusion. The crown prince must have been constantly looking for Annette under the water. As Annette requested, he removed the escorts around , but just in case, he reinforced the surrounding several times. A few days later, he received orders from the imperial family. The northern border was the farthest place from Bayonaire among the Demonic Zones. ¡®Is this really a coincidence?¡¯ It seemed that the crown prince sensed something and played a prank. ¡®How dare you.¡¯ Kyle smiled with cold eyes. His lips were twisted into a cruel smile. ¡°¡­That son of a gun.¡± ¡®I must protect Annette.¡¯ Kyle clenched his fists and turned his body around. ¡°We¡¯re going back to Bayonaire right now. As soon as possible!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The black sand of the desert engulfed the rough men. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ Very late at night. Heinrich, who was drinking milk tea, put the cup down on the saucer. Click, the sound was particularly loud. ¡°Sister.¡± Heinrich leaned in and looked at me. Then, he whispered, his purple eyes subtly glimmering. ¡°I, today, can I sleep here?¡± The corners of his lips raised strangely as he spoke those absurd words. CH 83 Episode 83: Goodnight and Go (I) ¡°¡­You¡¯re going to sleep here?!¡± How could I let you sleep here when you say it with that kind of expression, Heinrich? It¡¯s like a naughtly person with a lot of schemes. I wondered why he was drinking milk tea quietly like an adult cat, it must have been because he was thinking about that. Heinrich¡¯s eyes drooped. ¡°I mean, I came here alone. I don¡¯t know anything about this town.¡± ¡°¡­What about your servants? I mean you¡¯ve become an archduke, but you¡¯re traveling alone?¡± ¡®Oh Heinrich, unexpectedly, you don¡¯t know how to spend money?¡¯ He must have the wealth to drag a thousand people behind him, like the Pied Piper. I felt a little sad. ¡°As soon as I found out that Sister was here, I came in a hurry without bringing anyone.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I missed you¡­¡± Seeing the sullen puppy-like face, I realized. I still love that face. Actually, I had been feeling this for a while, but Heinrich had become an adult with a lot more of his old self than I thought. I loved, cherished, and cheered passionately for his happiness¡­ Just like that 11-year-old boy. It was a little strange. ¡®It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen him, like Sislin.¡¯ Though the feeling of being with Sislin and the feeling of being with Heinrich were quite different. Sislin was kind of¡­ He was so different that I was nervous and uncomfortable. When we were together, my nerves were all over the place. I looked at the gloomy Heinrich, and spoke quite calmly. ¡°It¡¯s strange that you came all the way here without a carriage.¡± ¡®I¡¯ll have to check.¡¯ Even if I remember the Heinrich of the past, I couldn¡¯t give in to him blindly. Fortunately, I was maintaining a certain degree of objectivity toward Heinrich (Heinrich was not a good character in the first place). ¡°Sister?!¡± I jumped up and opened the window. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± And I examined the outside carefully. Was there a carriage, or was there anyone waiting? By the way¡­ ¡®There really isn¡¯t.¡¯ Then, how did he get here? The moment I was thinking so. ¡®Heinrich is a genius wizard.¡¯ Even if I didn¡¯t ask him what method he used, it seemed okay. The greatest wizard on the continent could use any method. Heinrich rolled his eyes and smiled. ¡°See, nothing?¡± I crossed my arms and sat down on a chair. ¡°Still, you can¡¯t sleep here. If you came without a carriage, then you can go without a carriage, right?¡± ¡°Where can I go at night?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯re really too mean.¡± I was shaken, but it was time to be determined. ¡°It¡¯s hard to let you sleep here.¡± ¡®I still don¡¯t know how you¡¯ve changed since then.¡¯ Heinrich narrowed his eyes and moved to my side with a slightly distressed face. ¡°Then I¡¯ll sit next to you. I want to be as close to Sister as possible.¡± I chuckled in spite of myself. The table was small anyway, so there¡¯s not a big difference. But Heinrich looked serious. I thought he was a little cute inwardly, but I purposely pretended to be cold. ¡°Eat some cookies.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Heinrich ate a cookie with a slightly gloomy face. ¡®Huhu, you made the same face as you did when you were young.¡¯ ¡®You still look like a baby.¡¯ I asked while holding back my laughter. ¡°By the way, Heinri. How did you know I was here?¡± ¡°Secret.¡± ¡°Yes? Do you have a secret? I¡¯m sad~¡± ¡°Why?¡± Heinrich¡¯s eyes slowly changed. He asked, twisting his lips. ¡°Why do you want to know?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The glint of apparent madness chilled me. ¡®No, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s the usual.¡¯ ¡®I don¡¯t really want to know.¡¯ In 10 years, even the mountains and rivers would change, so he could keep 100,000 secrets from me. Of course. ¡°No.¡± I quickly shook my head. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you if you have any questions, Sister. Anything.¡± A beautiful man with a conspicuous face raised his red lips and smiled softly. I desperately wanted to change the subject. ¡°Come to think of it, now¡­¡­ Should I call you ¡®Grand Duke¡¯?¡± ¡°What are you talking about.¡± Heinrich narrowed her eyes with a look of disgust on his face. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I became the Grand Duke, so it¡¯s awkward for someone to call me that.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± ¡°Yes. Even in the Imperial Palace, there are people who don¡¯t use honorifics and talk to me comfortably, like Marquis Vimotes. I think it¡¯s because he¡¯s my stepfather¡¯s friend.¡± Heinrich smiled brightly like an angel. ¡®Oh my God, you¡¯re kind, like a pushover.¡¯ Still, if he¡¯s a grand duke, he could be treated a little bit because of his high status. He was now a member of noble society. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me, because he grew up in the Forest as a child, he doesn¡¯t know how he should be treated?¡¯ ¡®My baby¡­ How are you going to live in such a difficult world?¡¯ The fact that he was described as ¡®arrogant and rude¡¯ in the original was a misunderstanding. In that case, it was a plotline by the author. ¡°Just be comfortable with me, Sister. Yes?¡± Heinrich rubbed his face on my shoulder like a puppy. ¡°I¡¯m Heinrich, has Sister forgotten the Heinri that you loved?¡± ¡°Haha, okay. Okay.¡± I ended up laughing like I used to. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ In the dark night. Noah found an unfamiliar carriage. From the splendid exterior, it was evident it was a noble¡¯s carriage, but for some reason it was parked in a corner where no one could see it. ¡®Wow, I¡¯ve never seen such an expensive carriage.¡¯ Noah blinked his water-colored eyes and watched the carriage while hiding. Soon after, a man got off from inside. He was holding a telecommunication sphere. The man with brown hair and black eyes, although not glamorous, gave the impression of being loyal and prudent, somehow noble. ¡°Yes, Grand Duke. It¡¯s Duncan.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± For a brief moment, he seemed to hear a voice over the communicator. ¡°I will do as you command.¡± Finally, the call was disconnected. Duncan took something out of his arms (Noah didn¡¯t know, but it was a magic tool) and activated it. Then, tuk, tuk-tuk¡ª Raindrops began to fall from the sky. Shwua-a-ahh¡ª The rain quickly turned into heavy rain. Noah started running home to escape the rain. Then suddenly Noah felt strange, and he stopped walking. After a few steps, he couldn¡¯t feel the raindrops anymore, as though the earlier rain he felt was a lie. Noah¡¯s water-colored eyes twinkled as he looked up at the sky. ¡°¡­Really, it¡¯s amazing.¡± As if the dark clouds were cut out with scissors and arranged, it was raining only on ¡®one area¡¯. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°Oh? it¡¯s raining.¡± I went to the window and looked out worriedly. There was leftover ¡®cream bread¡¯ on the table. 1 hour before¡ª It had been brought out as a gift by Heinrich (I was startled when a large loaf of bread came out of a tiny pouch). ¡°Sister liked cream buns. So I bought it.¡± I burst into laughter. ¡°Heinrich, who gives bread to a bakery owner? It¡¯s really funny.¡± Heinrich scratched the back of the head and said he should have bought some jewelry instead. But I was happy. I liked how Heinrich remembered what I liked, and bread was always welcomed by a bread lover. In addition, he said that it was difficult to find the store that supplied bread to the Forest and airlifted it. It tasted just like the bread I remembered. The two of us enjoyed talking about the past and ate the bread until our stomachs were full. Then we talked about the stories of the past. Memories of the Forest¡­ While talking, I felt as if the 10-year gap was slowly collapsing. But when the atmosphere was ripe, it suddenly started to rain. ¡°Heinrich, where are you going?¡± ¡°I looked around because the picture on the second floor was amazing.¡± Coming down the stairs, Heinrich smiled harmlessly. Then he suddenly looked out the window. ¡°It¡¯s raining.¡± Heinrich lowered his eyebrows and said, ¡°I must have been here too long. Sister, I¡¯ll see you again soon.¡± ¡°¡­Uh?¡± ¡°Today was really fun.¡± Heinrich picked up the jacket he had taken off, then he walked to the door. ¡°Hey, Heinrich.¡± I called him and stopped him. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Heinrich stood tall, stopped in his place, and took a deep breath. I pressed my lips together. It¡¯s raining at this late hour. He came alone without a carriage and had nowhere to go, he said¡­ ¡®Heinrich is especially weak on rainy days.¡¯ He was sensitive since childhood, and he hated being hit by the rain. In the end¡­ ¡°Would you like to sleep in my house?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± If Annette could see what expression Heinrich was making right now, she would have taken that statement back right away. Heinrich turned and said, changing his expression. ¡°¡­Then shall I?¡± After a couple of hours¡ª In the ripening hours of dawn. It rained all the time outside the window. As if squeezing the sky and soaking the entire dark earth. I was asleep in my bed. Believing the same would be true of Heinrich, who was staying in an empty room on the third floor. Tachak¡ª I woke up to the sound of the door opening and the hinges creaking. First of all, the sound of rain falling down incessantly pierced my ears terribly. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± I suddenly looked at the door and was surprised. Heinrich was there. Damp shirt and hair, and eyes that were languidly out of focus. He looked a little sick. If it was not the case¡­ Then he looked oddly dazzling. ¡°¡­Heinrich?¡± Broad shoulders and slender body leaned against the doorway. Every time he let out a hot breath, the beautifully carved collarbone and the clean, boyish, pure white neckline were revealed. ¡°Sister¡­¡± Heinrich opened his red lips that were like a bad fruit. And he whispered. Like a dreamer who lived only on a young lady¡¯s nightmares and pleasures, with a terribly seductive voice. ¡°¡­Can¡¯t I sleep here too?¡± CH 84 From a young age, he had a sensitive personality. During a night of thunder when lightning strikes and rain falls like a downpour, he would have nightmares and sweat. Then I would give Heinrich a side of my bed and pat him all night long, singing lullabies. I remembered it all. Still drowsy in sleep¡ª ¡°¡­Are you sick?¡± As I rubbed my eyes and lifted my head, Heinrich, who was at the door, shook his head. ¡°No¡­¡± ¡°Come here, Heinrich.¡± As soon as permission fell, Heinrich cautiously walked inside. When I gestured for him to bow down with my hand, he quietly squatted down in front of the bed and put his forehead on it. I realized he had a slight fever when I touched his forehead. Very faint. Seeing that his shirt and hair were wet, he seemed to be sweating. I sighed quietly. It was obvious. ¡°Did you wake up from another nightmare and can¡¯t sleep?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°How old are you, but you still have nightmares and can¡¯t sleep?¡± Heinrich looked a little shaky. ¡®You really didn¡¯t grow much.¡¯ ¡®What am I going to do with you, Heinrich?¡¯ Back then, I left with a lot of worries because of these aspects. ¡®Do you have the same childlike habits?¡¯ Heinrich crouched down at my bedside. He certainly looked pretty tall, being over 180cm, but when he lowered his body, it felt like the size of Noah with a little excess. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll be right next to you in a little while, Sister.¡± Heinrich looked at the wall and leaned his head against it. Dun, dun. Then thunder roared loudly. Hmmm, I could see Heinrich¡¯s body hardening. Without realizing it, I laughed out loud. ¡°¡­What a baby, baby.¡± Heinrich looked genuinely angry for a moment. ¡°Sister, why am I a baby? I grew this tall. I¡¯m even the richest and most powerful ¡®man¡¯. I¡¯m probably the number one groom in the empire.¡± ¡°Yes, yes~¡± I smiled as I answered dryly. What did you do while you were growing up, Heinri? Even now, it was still a mystery how he became a grand duke when he could be defeated by thunder. I shook my head and gave up one side of the bed, tapping with the palm of my hand. ¡°Come up.¡± For a second, there was a gleam in Heinrich¡¯s eyes. His white teeth were slightly exposed as he straightened his face like he could not smile openly. ¡°¡­Is that okay?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± If possible, I would just pretend I don¡¯t know, but in fact, I actually remembered everything. When he was young, on days when he had a low fever like this, he used to persevere by saying that he was okay, but then the fever would rise so much that he would get very sick. ¡®I was worried that he wasn¡¯t better even after I used all the fever reducers.¡¯ He had a sensitive body, so there was no suitable medicine. Surprisingly, Heinrich didn¡¯t usually have minor illnesses, but was very ill once he got sick. How much did I stomp my feet back then¡­ The 12-year-old Annette was very upset. ¡­I wished I was the one who was sick instead. It occurred to me how much I liked Heinrich. ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re not okay. If you keep doing that next to me, I won¡¯t be able to sleep.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡®Is it because it¡¯s been a while and it¡¯s awkward?¡¯ The tip of his ear that was lying next to me was a little red. Heinrich lay down, clutching the blanket with his large hands and closing his eyes. ¡®Cute.¡¯ I smiled and patted his back. ¡°Heinrich, you¡¯ve been very hard to take care of since you were little.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The handsome face lying face to face with me quietly opened his eyes. Now that I looked at it, the color of his eyes seems darker than before. It became stronger and more profound. It was still shining beautifully and arrogantly. ¡°You liked me like that.¡± ¡°Right.¡± I graciously admitted it. ¡°I liked taking care of you, Heinrich.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°When you are happy, I¡¯ll feel happy for no reason.¡± Such was the existence of the ¡®favorite¡¯. He didn¡¯t know. Still, wouldn¡¯t my efforts for Heinrich¡¯s happiness be quite successful? ¡°That¡¯s why I loved how you became so wealthy, Professor of Magic Tools, and even a Grand Duke.¡± ¡°What? Pfft.¡± ¡°Really.¡± How pitiful you were in the original work I know. I narrowed my eyes and said, ¡°¡­Honestly, I raised you very well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Sister.¡± Heinrich¡¯s expression mirrored mine. We looked at each other and laughed like children for a moment. Like a long time ago. Heinrich whispered, in case I was really sleeping. ¡°Sister, sing the lullaby.¡± ¡°Hey, didn¡¯t you say you¡¯ve grown up?¡± ¡°¡­I really wanted to hear it. Every time it rained, I kept thinking of it all night long.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°When I couldn¡¯t sleep, I tried to fall asleep while thinking of Sister¡¯s voice.¡± I felt a little sorry for him, and said as I brushed his soft silver hair. ¡°I¡¯ll sing it for you.¡± I was still weak to Heinrich. The lullaby of the dawn resounded softly. Tock, tock. With a hand that gently pats the shoulder in a certain rhythm. The sound of rain and all the noises in the world were buried in that song and disappeared. There was only stark peace in the room. Soon, the singing voice subsided and the hand that touched Heinrich stopped. Perfect silence filled the room. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Heinrich¡¯s long eyelashes were heard quietly at that moment. He stroked Annette¡¯s cheek with a long finger. She was sleeping soundly. ¡®You don¡¯t know.¡¯ ¡®How much I missed your face.¡¯ ¡®If I wake up after meeting you hundreds of times, thousands of times in my dreams¡­¡¯ ¡®That cold reality without you.¡¯ ¡®That has been my nightmare all this time, Annette.¡¯ ¡°Sister, come on¡­?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Annette was silent, as if in a deep sleep. He felt a constant exhalation of breath. It was thrilling to know that this was real, that she was really there in front of his nose. His dark eyes, as if swallowing the deep dawn, grew deeper and denser while capturing her image. Heinrich groaned lowly, as if holding back his urge, and closed his eyes. The moonlight shone sinfully on his beautiful face. Ah. He loved this moment so much that he wanted to remain like this. ¡®I¡¯d be happy to die like that.¡¯ When he opened his eyes again, they were eyes stained with obsession and madness. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Heinrich engraved each part of her face into his retinas. ¡®¡­You don¡¯t know anything.¡¯ ¡®You¡¯ve already been punished and sent to hell, Annette.¡¯ ¡®I will never let you go for the rest of my life.¡¯ The savage eyes gleamed happily. Without a doubt, she gently put the pitiful and endearing him into her bed. ¡°Sister, don¡¯t be so naive.¡± He whispered in her ear. ¡°I¡­¡± His voice deepened like the devil¡¯s. ¡°What do you think I¡¯m going to do?¡± ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ The same night. Sislin¡¯s aide, Owin, was watching the rain outside the window. Rain was pouring down on only one area. It was an artificially created dark cloud. ¡®It¡¯s obvious whose work this is.¡¯ There was only one person in this world who could make something like that. ¡ªHeinrich Hyacinth. Still, Sislin had already instructed him to follow Heinrich¡¯s path. ¡®How the hell did he expect that?¡¯ His master, Sislin, already knew that Heinrich would arrive at Bayonaire. Although he had been by his side for a very long time, there were many times when he still had no idea how far Sislin expected and knew. ¡®Anyway, report.¡¯ Owin stepped away from the window and walked into the old mansion. He wanted to choose a more comfortable and luxurious mansion, but he didn¡¯t want Sislin to stand out. Tok tok. Owin knocked. ¡°Come in.¡± Only after permission had been granted from the inside did Owin enter. Sislin was lying on the bed. He seemed to be sweating quite a bit. ¡®He must be suffering again.¡¯ Thanks to the Crevasse, he obtained the most powerful abilities, but the side effects were severe. If he takes medicine, he would become confused, and if he doesn¡¯t take it, his senses would run so high that it would be difficult to get dressed. Tonight seemed to be a painful night without any medication. Sadly, he was used to it now. ¡°Say it.¡± His master, who was lying face down with his huge and wide back exposed, gave an order without raising his head. With each painful breath, the fine muscles and bones that were tightly attached along the deep vertebral line vibrated slightly. ¡ªWhen will that madness disappear? ¡®I should report it quickly and go.¡¯ Owin lowered his head, bowed politely to his master, and opened his mouth. ¡°As I said before, Grand Duke Heinrich has arrived at Bayonaire today.¡± ¡°You did say.¡± ¡®Shall I just report it till here?¡¯ After a slight pause, Sislin asked again. In a deep, cracked voice. ¡°Where is he now?¡± ¡°T-That is¡­¡± As if sensing hesitation, Sislin raised his sweaty face and looked at him. Blood-red eyes that were sharply forged. Owin carefully spit out the truth. ¡°Tonight¡­ It seems that he is staying ¡®in¡¯ Annette¡¯s house.¡± At that moment, Owin saw it clearly. The way his master¡¯s eyes turned slightly. CH 85 ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°Ung¡­¡± I groaned in my sleep. ¡®What time is it now? I slept very well¡¯ ¡®I want to lie down a little longer. No, I want to roll around in bed all day today.¡¯ ¡®I feel comfortable.¡¯ I tossed my body slightly. Then I felt a firm yet warm feeling next to me. It was like a fireplace. ¡®Doesn¡¯t it smell too good for a fireplace?¡¯ I quietly buried my head and smelled the scent¡ª I felt strange for a moment and slowly opened my eyes. Uh? It was Heinrich¡¯s arms. He lay on his side, his chin resting on his hand, and was looking down at me with a clean face that seemed to have been awake for some time. Purple eyes gleamed sweetly. ¡°Hello, Sister?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Did you sleep well all night?¡± A large, beautiful, dry hand gently brushed my cheek and hair. ¡°¡­Heinrich.¡± ¡°It¡¯s great that you called my name as soon as you wake up.¡± Heinrich smiled very happily. With some sleep left in my eyes, I asked quietly. ¡°Has the rain stopped?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Heinrich leaned slightly to the side, pulled the curtains, and opened the window. The sunlight poured down like jewels. As if the rain last night was a lie, there was not a single cloud in the sky. ¡°Wow, the morning air is fresh¡ª¡± ¡°Right? The weather is nice today, Sister.¡± Heinrich and I looked out the window side by side and felt the fresh morning breeze. Shwsh. The sound of dew gliding on a blade of grass. It was a morning full of happiness. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°Sister, tie me up.¡± ¡°What? Heinrich, do you want to work too?¡± I looked at him with slightly dissauding eyes. However, Heinrich proudly put on an apron and showed me his back. As if he wanted me to tie it up quickly. ¡°Of course I need to help. It¡¯s Sister¡¯s business.¡± I looked at him with hazy eyes. ¡®Why am I not looking forward to it at all¡­?¡¯ This kind of work and Heinrich did not match at all. ¡®Baking isn¡¯t your hobby, nor are you very responsible, Heinrich.¡¯ However¡­ ¡®What if he stood at the counter with that handsome face?¡¯ Only then did the sales driven(?) self-employed person smile sinisterly. ¡°Hmm, then, how about you just work at the counter?¡± ¡°Great.¡± Dreaming of a sales jackpot by selling my younger brother whom I met for the first time in 10 years, I tied the apron with insidious thoughts. ¡°I¡¯ll tie you up too.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°The words are a bit naughty.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Heinrich blushed softly, moving his fingers and tying my apron. ¡®What are you thinking, hm?¡¯ Heinrich tied the lace ribbon and smiled shyly. ¡°Sister, we are like ¡®newlyweds¡¯ because we are like this. Isn¡¯t it?¡± No. ¡°You always said you were going to marry me when you were young, you fool.¡± ¡°Still.¡± Heinrich lowered his eyes as he tidied up my apron and said, ¡°I still want to marry Sister.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± I was a little surprised for a moment. It sounded like a marriage proposal. He didn¡¯t mean that, I hope. Ummm, I guessed I had become sensitive because I had been proposed to by a squirrel masked boy or a chestnut (that had grown up to be a tall, carnivorous stag now). I smiled lightly and passed it on. ¡°Oh, there are a lot of people in this town who want to marry me~¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± But it was strange. There was no answer from Heinrich for a long time. As I was organizing my cooking utensils in preparation for opening, I suddenly felt a gaze and looked to the side. ¡­Heinrich had hardened coldly. For a moment, it was a little scary. He asked, his eyes shining calmly. ¡°Who wants to marry you again?¡± ¡°¡­No?¡± I made an excuse without realizing it. ¡°The three-year-old kids who are regulars at the bakery said this as a joke.¡± So, get rid of that expression. Else people wouldn¡¯t come to buy bread. ¡®Is it a sis-con?¡¯ ¡®You can¡¯t stand your sister marrying another man, Heinrich.¡¯ I quickly decided to change the subject. ¡°By the way, Heinri. How did you put up such a high bounty? 5.8 trillion gold! I was surprised to see that¡­ Oof, I wish I had the money.¡± I spoke very happily, imagining. ¡°¡ªOpening a bigger bakery.¡± Heinrich after quietly listening to my words. ¡°Sister, do you want the money?¡± ¡°¡­¡­?!¡± The eyes of the capitalist bread lover widened. ¡®What did you say, mister? Are you serious about that?¡¯ In an instant, I imagined the sparkling gold coins pouring down like rain in front of my eyes. ¡°Really?¡± Heinrich folded his arms and nodded his head. ¡°Yes, I still have the bounty on you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°So, you can directly report it to me. ¡®Annette¡¯.¡± A life-changing opportunity? ¡­But why? I didn¡¯t understand. He had already found me, but I should report myself and win the reward? Heinrich stared at my confused face. Slowly¡ª leaning towards me, he whispered. ¡°Heinrich, I have found Annette.¡± His voice was sweet like a devil who seduces a child with candy. Squeeze¡ª He grabbed my two wrists together and held it with one large hand. The touch was cold, and stronger than I expected. Both wrists couldn¡¯t move as if they were locked in shackles. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Heinri looked straight into my bewildered face and eyes, and slowly pulled my wrists. Ah, it went closer to his nose. ¡°Like this¡­ ¡­ .¡± His red lips were enchantingly sweet like candied apples. ¡°I¡¯ve brought myself, Sir Heinrich.¡± Heinrich¡¯s eyes shone brightly as if they were consuming darkness. ¡°You can say that. Annette.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I felt it instinctively. That¡¯s very dangerous money. ¡®If I get that money, I feel like my life will be ruined for some reason, Heinrich.¡¯ I have that much sense. ¡°Oh right. Milk!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Heinrich¡¯s expression twisted at my words. ¡°I forgot to buy milk. I need to fill it up before business starts. I¡¯ll be right back, Heinrich!¡± I snatched my wrist out of Heinrich¡¯s loosened hand and went out with a bang. ¡°¡­Tsk.¡± As if it was a waste, Heinrich looked at the door Annette had run out of and tapped his chin. He thought he was almost there. In any case, it was a golden opportunity for him to remain alone in her home. Heinrich smiled mischievously, thinking. ¡®Shall I take a look around the house?¡¯ There might be things that targeted her. After a while. Facing a drawer, he had a very furious expression on his face. Inside the drawer was a ring case. It was even a diamond. ¡°¡­Ha.¡± Did his sister have a fly? ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Heinrich frowned and thought. ¡®How can I catch this bug and clamp it down?¡¯ ¡®Will it be burned with fire or blown away by the wind?¡¯ ¡®Or should I just squash it and kill it?¡¯ ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ Unfortunately for Heinrich, however, there was work to be done first. Being a part-timer at the bakery. Standing next to Annette, Heinrich was wearing an apron with a drawing of a fluffy bread, and smiling broadly (but inside he was still subtly angry, because of the ring). ¡°Welcome to !¡± ¡°¡­Welcome.¡± At Annette¡¯s lead, Heinrich followed in a low voice. He has had many ¡®firsts¡¯ titles so far. The first magic tool genius, the first man to become a grand duke with half-blood, and the first man to grab the collar of the Magic Tower lord. And now¡­ The first grand duke who worked part-time in a bakery. ¡®F*ck¡­ stop coming in.¡¯ Naturally, the bakery job was not suited to Heinrich¡¯s aptitude. Customers of the popular bakery came in like a swarm of zombies craving baguettes instead of human blood and flesh, and ate the bread, going ¡®Ooh¡¯ (it sounded like that to Heinrich¡¯s ears). In the midst of all that, the only comforting thing was that Annette, who worked hard, was so pretty. ¡°Yes, customer, these are scones topped with fig jam. Do you like crispy and sweet things?¡± ¡®¡­So pretty, Sister.¡¯ It was when Heinrich was looking at Annette like that with a blush on her cheeks. Tachak¡ª The door opened and a tall man with glasses entered. Annette, who was organizing the bread on the shelf, greeted him with a smile. ¡°Welcome, Kyle! You¡¯re back?¡± ¡ªKyle? It was a name he had probably heard somewhere, but it was a common and insignificant name that was hard to remember. The only thing he didn¡¯t like was that Annette smiled at him. Annette walked up to Kyle and said, ¡°Did you get hurt anywhere?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± At that brief conversation, Heinrich¡¯s eyebrows stood up. ¡®That bastard, who the hell is he for Sister to be worried about?¡¯ ¡°But what to do? I¡¯m very busy right now, so I think my younger brother will have to do it for me. I have prepared your favorite bread in advance.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you for your consideration.¡± Kyle greeted her politely and saw the man she called ¡®younger brother¡¯. The moment he saw it, he knew. Heinrich¡¯s identity. Of course, Heinrich didn¡¯t recognize Kyle, who left El Dorado at a young age and grew up on the battlefield, but¡­ Kyle couldn¡¯t be ignorant of the man who had put a bounty on Annette. As Kyle approached, Heinrich glared particularly intrusively and held out a package. ¡°Here.¡± Rustling¡ª Kyle took the envelope and checked the inside. Then he said, ¡°This is not it. You gave me the wrong one.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± At that time, Heinrich frowned and drew closer to Kyle. Fierce eyes rose sharply. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just eat what you¡¯re given?¡± It was then that the eyes behind the glasses curved. A soft voice reached Heinrich¡¯s ears. ¡°You¡¯re good at business, aren¡¯t you, like a dog?¡± Kyle grinned. It was an obvious sneer. CH 86 ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡®What, this bastard?¡¯ While Heinrich cursed with his eyes, the man, who looked just like a stag, raised his glasses and placed money on the table. Without saying anything, he turned and left the store. In an instant, Heinrich¡¯s eyes went up as if he was full of energy. ¡ªYou dare? ¡®There¡¯s one more loser. Bayonaire is fun.¡¯ It was when Heinrich was staring at the door with inhumane eyes. ¡°Heinrich!¡± ¡°¡­Sister.¡± The bright smile on her face was completely erased from the one she had just had before. Annette patted Heinrich¡¯s hair with an apologetic expression. ¡°Working is hard and tiring, right? Do you want to just go up and rest?¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t hard at all? I think I¡¯m in perfect condition, Sister. It¡¯s great to work together.¡± Heinrich, who was hugged like a harmless puppy, was cute, so Annette laughed. ¡°If you work hard, I¡¯ll make you something delicious for dinner!¡± ¡°Yes, sure.¡± When Annette went to take care of the customers again, Heinrich¡¯s eyes widened. Was there any way out of this bread hell? He wanted to close the store quickly and roll in bed with her and eat something delicious. But for that, that bread lover was too engrossed in business. ¡°¡­Hmm.¡± After thinking for a while. Heinrich raised his pigmented lips and contacted Duncan. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡®After all, handsomeness is money.¡¯ I saw female customers (and some men too) murmuring outside. Everyone was buzzing, saying, ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯. Having a handsome guy in the countryside was a little too much, but they were talking. The self-employed person who was always thinking about sales snorted, rubbed her nose, and looked at the part-timer with satisfaction. ¡®Of course he can¡¯t work.¡¯ Someone asked for a baguette, but he frowned and gave him scones. Also, he didn¡¯t dare say hello to the customers. There was a situation in which I doubted my baby¡¯s sociability (as confirmed, his sociability was still the same as when he was 11-years-old). ¡®Well, today will be fine.¡¯ At least, sales were peaking. Besides, he had a cute and pretty heart to help me. I looked at Heinrich, who was working hard to wrap corn bread. ¡®Heck, he¡¯s so cute.¡¯ ¡®My favorite is helping in my bakery!¡¯ ¡°Here it is.¡± Heinrich merely wrapped it up and gave it to her, but the female customer went out with a bigger smile than usual. Oh, I know that feeling. I muttered as I stuffed the empty shelves with bread (the crazy self-employed person was quick to bake new bread when business was going well). ¡°By the way, what kind of bread did Kyle buy¡­?¡± For some reason, I thought he would come today, so I had pre-packed some of his favorite bread beforehand. By the way. ¡®Why is the bag with rags missing?¡¯ While the one with the bread remained. When I asked Heinrich, he said, ¡®I got the money,¡¯ and was very upset. No matter how much I think about it, I didn¡¯t think it was Heinrich who had felt wronged, anyways¡­ I was glad it was new rags. I shook my head, thinking of the carnivorous stag who had received soft rags instead of bread. It was then. An official from the neighboring town, Mr. Charles, entered and spoke to me. ¡°Miss Annette, do you have some leftover bread? I want to place a group order.¡± ¡°Ah, when are you talking about?¡± ¡°I¡¯m in a hurry to have a town party today.¡± Mr. Charles pointed to all the breads in the bakery with a grin on his face. ¡°I want to buy all of this bread.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°All in cash.¡± All the freshly baked hot bread? Actually, I was thinking about doing business until the evening and being greedy today, but this was happening! I replied with great joy. ¡°I¡¯ll pack everything up right away.¡± At that time, Heinrich whispered quickly from the side. ¡°Sister, are you closing the store when all the bread is sold?¡± ¡°Be quiet.¡± I asked Mr. Charles for his understanding and took a small portion of the bread for the waiting guests. Mr. Charles readily agreed. He was going to buy all the leftovers, no matter how much was left. Due to the nature of the operation of , which closes when all the bread was sold out, customers were also accustomed to it closing early when everything sold out early. Soon, all the customers were gone, the store was empty and the day¡¯s business ended. ¡ªMuch faster than expected. ¡°Fufu.¡± I was very happy and arranged the shelves. ¡°Sister, did you sell a lot of bread today?¡± ¡°Yes! Also, it sold out early, which is great. I guess Heinrich is a lucky charm!¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡®Oh, oh oh. My baby.¡¯ I felt good and patted Heinrich¡¯s cheek, and he leaned his pretty face in to ask for more. I rolled up my sleeves vigorously. ¡°Shall we count the money now?¡± Today¡¯s should be heavier than usual. Heinrich looked proudly at Annette¡¯s delight. ¡°Duncan, evaporate all the bread in this store. In five minutes.¡± [I¡¯ll take care of it, Grand Duke.] After contacting Duncan with the communicator, a customer with a group order showed up within exactly five minutes. It was the right decision, seeing how happy Annette was. At the same time, he received love, and he felt very good. Now it was time for the two of them to just chat. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Heinrich looked out the window while holding his chin. By the way¡­ ¡®It¡¯s been bothering me a lot.¡¯ The wizard with highly developed magical powers felt a presence that others did not. Behind the tallest tree, the guy who dared to compare his ¡®business attitude¡¯ to a ¡®dog¡¯s¡¯ was still standing. If he bought rags, he should go home and eat it quickly. ¡®Why has that bastard been hanging around since a while ago?¡¯ ¡®Just begging to die.¡¯ ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ Heinrich headed to the tall tree. He gave Annette the excuse of going out to get some fresh air. ¡®What are those weird glasses?¡¯ Wearing glasses like a dork, with curly brown hair, and those gentle eyes. That was enough. ¡®Isn¡¯t he ugly?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t the truth at all (Kyle was definitely one of the most handsome men), but Heinrich, who was accustomed to his own reflection, gave a very harsh assessment of Kyle. ¡°Hey.¡± When called, Kyle turned to Heinrich. He knew he was coming to begin with, but he seemed to be ignoring him. That point made him feel very bad. Heinrich asked at once. ¡°Why are you hanging around here, you suspicious bastard?¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re the one who¡¯s suspicious.¡± Kyle responded without blinking an eye. Heinrich¡¯s eyes widened. He looked plainly offended, he didn¡¯t like this guy. ¡®I can see the emotions on his face.¡¯ Kyle examined Heinrich slowly. He had a very unpleasant appearance. He was irritating in appearance. Especially those red lips. ¡®Is he even a man?¡¯ From Kyle¡¯s point of view that was accustomed to vicious-looking faces, Heinrich was too doll-like. He was pretty even when he was young, but as he grew up, he became even more so. ¡°Even though Miss Annette is uncomfortable, why is her parasite still living in the house?¡± ¡°¡­Parasite?¡± Heinrich¡¯s purple eyes shone brilliantly. The atmosphere around him subsided coolly. Usually, this was enough for the others in the Imperial Palace to lie flat in front of Heinrich. This was because condensed magical power flowed out and pressed the opponent. But on Kyle, nothing happened. From the age of 8, he faced beasts the size of a house, and he was the one who held his coming-of-age ceremony on the bloody battlefield. That¡¯s why even now, when the opponent was a ¡®Grand Duke¡¯; but they were ignoring that fact. After all, right now, it was a situation where they didn¡¯t know each other. ¨DOf course, Kyle has completed all investigations into Heinrich. Just then. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Heinrich¡¯s eyes darkened coldly. ¡°Is it you?¡± His lips twisted. ¡°The bastard who gave Sister a wedding ring.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± How did he know that? Did Miss Annette brag? It would have been nice if that was the case, but it was unlikely that she would brag about the engagement ring under the circumstances. It was a sudden proposal to her. If so, he could only think that he was forced to find out. It must have been a very, very cowardly way. ¡®Did you search the house?¡¯ Kyle¡¯s dark green eyes narrowed coldly. Heinrich¡¯s twisted lips parted. ¡°It wasn¡¯t just the two of us.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯re that same bastard, right?¡± Shoo-wook¡ª A magical sphere was created from Heinrich¡¯s hand. ¡°Just die. Crushed like a worm.¡± At that bloody threat, Kyle¡¯s eyes hardened with ridicule, ¡®Ha.¡¯ It was absurd to believe that the wizard could attack him. He never lost. Crawling out of the monster¡¯s stomach, going to and from the battlefield like it was home, and being bloody as he greeted his coming of age. His magic gun never missed, and ¡®Kine¡¯, who ran the dark guild, had killed many wizards. ¡°I think you are going to die.¡± Dark green eyes sank eerily. When he put his hand on his gun¡­ A voice familiar to both men was heard. ¡°¡­Heinrich! Kyle!¡± ¡ªIt was Annette. She was running their way in contemplation. In one hand she held a bag of bread. ¡°You two, what are you doing?!¡± A slight disappointment crept across Kyle¡¯s face. He already had a record of being seen as a crazy thug who spreads roses and beats someone, so it was not good to be caught like this. It was then. ¡°¡­Sister.¡± Heinrich changed his expression to ¡®heuk!¡¯ and dug into her arms (he was over 180cm tall and crouched down to be hugged in Annette¡¯s arms). With wet puppy eyes, Heinrich said, ¡°¡­I was so scared.¡± The moment Kyle was startled, he looked. Annette holding Heinrich, and¡­ ¡­Looking at him with those eyes that went, ¡®Oh my gosh, Mr. Kyle again¡­¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The resentment and anger rose from Kyle¡¯s abdomen. ¡®Damn it, this fox.¡¯ Ame: Oh Heinrich you cute little nasty shit!! Making our poor Kyle look bad!! Tsk tsk :< Tassie: Heinrich reminds me of those scheming wives in c-novels, he¡¯s always scheming XD CH 87 Episode 87: Even More Bad Blood ¡°Heinrich, are you okay?¡± ¡°Really¡­ scary. I tried to apologize¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t help but stare at Kyle a little bitterly. What did you do for him to be like this, Kyle? He was just a little rude (okay, maybe a lot), but he¡¯s a gentle person who loses to thunder. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Heinrich. I¡¯m here.¡± Of course, Heinrich was an archmage, but it must have been a long time since he only made magic tools. Unlike Kyle, who traveled through battlefields and lawless areas, Heinrich would be stuck at home. Just by looking at him, Heinrich was too soft. He was a soft-spoken kid, even when he became a grand duke, he let his stepfather¡¯s friend treat him comfortably. ¡®One-sided hunting of the carnivorous stag is not allowed.¡¯ I hugged Heinrich tightly. ¡°Sister¡­¡± Heinrich buried his head as if touched. Then, opposite of us, Kyle politely placed his hand on his chest and apologized. ¡°¡­Miss Annette. I¡¯m sorry for the rough appearance.¡± ¡°Right. It¡¯s rough.¡± ¡°¡ªHeinrich.¡± I cut Heinrich off from rudely attacking Kyle. He apologized, didn¡¯t he, Heinrich? In that case, it was okay to be a little generous. He was a kind and good person. ¡°A rough man is not a good groom. You know that, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mr. Kyle.¡± I accepted Kyle¡¯s apology, hugging and stopping Heinrich, who constantly dueled the carnivorous stag. And I thought with cloudy eyes. ¡®My baby¡­ Something must have pissed him off.¡¯ Even now, in my arms, he had the expression of a scheming concubine who was favored by the emperor. In the first place, the other party was sold rags instead of bread, but he was a customer who simply paid the money. It meant a lot of patience. ¡®Even with that patience¡­ There must have been something unbearable.¡¯ There were quite a few people like that. No matter how many bean pods I put on, I did not forget to grasp my favorite¡¯s personality. Heinrich then narrowed his eyes and asked. ¡°Sister, what do you think when you look at me?¡± Huh. ¡°Did you think I was bad?¡± He was quick to read others¡¯ minds. ¡°No? I didn¡¯t think about anything?¡± Heinrich looked at me suspiciously, but I shrugged casually. Then I asked Kyle. ¡°You haven¡¯t gone yet. Do you have anything to do nearby?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you because I have something to tell you.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Kyle¡¯s gaze rested briefly on Heinrich, then it returned to me. ¡°Is it okay if we talk alone?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°¡ªHeinrich.¡± He was asking me, wasn¡¯t he, Heinrich? I removed Heinrich, who had been stuck like a piece of gum on me (he didn¡¯t come off well), and grabbed him by the shoulder and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to talk to Kyle for a moment.¡± Heinrich¡¯s expression changed to ¡®heuk!¡¯ again, but it didn¡¯t work this time. I said pointing with my index finger. ¡°Go in and wait for me, Heinrich.¡± Heinrich, being quick-witted, knew when to step down. ¡°¡­All right, Sister.¡± ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°What are you two going to talk about? ¡­Tsk, I really don¡¯t like it.¡± Leaving Annette and Kyle alone, Heinrich eventually retreated with a frown on his brows. He didn¡¯t like him in many ways. That brown haired guy with glasses. ¡®It looks like he¡¯s using a shotgun.¡¯ He didn¡¯t take it out, but he saw it clearly when he touched the gun barrel. ¡°He¡¯s using weapons used by vulgar street dogs, but the accent and tone seemed like a nobleman.¡± Where did he roll to eat? ¡°Duncan.¡± At Heinrich¡¯s call, Duncan, who was waiting in a carriage near , took a step closer. He bowed politely. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Find out more about a guy named ¡®Kyle¡¯ who uses a shotgun. Curly brown hair, green eyes, and wears a pair of glasses.¡± Heinrich crossed his arms and ordered, raising his eyebrows and adding, ¡°It felt pretty powerful. ¡®On the subject¡¯.¡± But it wasn¡¯t the kind of magical power that wizards had, the kind of flexible flowing mana. It was an explosive magic power stuck in a rough core. ¡ªWhat was his identity? He didn¡¯t want to know because he was so irritating, but he had no choice but to find out. ¡°¡­It¡¯s really unpleasant that he gave Sister a wedding ring.¡± ¡®Was it about Miss Annette?¡¯ Duncan asked what kind of information he should collect. ¡°Could you tell me the purpose of the information, Grand Duke?¡± Heinrich spoke coldly with utterly inhumane eyes. ¡°What are you asking? The more I know, the more effective I can kill.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± He gestured with his chin. ¡°Go.¡± Duncan once again thought that his master¡¯s nickname suited him well, but disappeared like a shadow after a silent prayer. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Kyle. Take this bread. He said that earlier you took something strange instead of bread¡­¡± Something that looked like rags. Or maybe it was really rags (as a self-employed professional, I really didn¡¯t want to admit it). ¡°Thank you for your consideration, Owner.¡± Mr. Kyle, who was like an angel, accepted it kindly, with his docile eyes behind the glasses curved. ¡°No, by the way, what do you want to tell me?¡± It was clear it was something important. He came early today to talk to me, but it seemed like he waited because I was too busy. Until my business was over. ¡®That¡¯s very thoughtful.¡¯ ¡°Owner, didn¡¯t the Crown Prince of El Dorado come to visit?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± No, how did you know that? After a moment¡¯s surprise, I soon understood. Because Larva had been hiding me all this time. He couldn¡¯t have been unaware of the obsessive maniac in search of Annette, who even waged war so that it could appear in the newspapers. But in the first place, Larva¡¯s share was only to hide me from ¡®Gerard¡¯. He has been doing it brilliantly, very, very generously, for over 10 years. ¡ªThanks so much. ¡®He wouldn¡¯t be able to stop Sislin even if he tried to.¡¯ With that tenacity, Sislin would have found me no matter who blocked me. There was not a single thing Kyle was at fault for in this situation. I replied with a smile. ¡°Yes, he just came to see me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Kyle¡¯s expression seemed to waver for a moment, then his dark green eyes filled with concern and worry. ¡°Are you okay, Owner?¡± ¡°Of course it¡¯s fine. I just met an old friend after a long time.¡± I smiled comfortably. I was afraid he would be worried. ¡°As you may already know, the Crown Prince is from the same Forest as us. From a young age, he has followed me very well.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I was very sad when we parted¡­ I was very happy to see him again.¡± I mixed up a little bit. Of course, it wasn¡¯t 100% fake, but it didn¡¯t give the nuance of being embarrassed because I wasn¡¯t expecting it. Because¡­ ¡®Please don¡¯t get involved.¡¯ The combination of a crazy carnivorous deer and a wild beast wasn¡¯t right. Dangerous madmen need to be quarantined! ¨DOr there would be sparks like before. ¡®I¡¯m the only one who becomes a shrimp again.¡¯ ¡®I don¡¯t want to get stuck in between and get my back ripped.¡¯ ¡®Please go crazy separately.¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Kyle looked at me quietly as if trying to read me, and then opened his mouth. ¡°Are there any injuries?¡± ¡°Oh, not at all.¡± Heuk heuk, ¡®just¡¯ something strange engraved on my wrist. ¡®But nobody really knows about it.¡¯ It was an artifact, so Heinrich didn¡¯t know, and the same goes for Kyle. They both have magical powers, so I did wonder if they would find out. ¡°He is a dangerous man. He¡¯s a cruel, ruthless man. In the past¡­ It¡¯s hard to think of the way he used to¡­ follow Annette.¡± ¡®I know that better.¡¯ As I had experienced it myself. How he grew up and appeared before me. ¡°Yes, I will be careful.¡± I just replied with that and smiled so that Kyle would be relieved. ¡°Owner.¡± Kyle leaned his broad shoulders in and clasped my hand. As he lowered his head, his hair, like a field of wheat in autumn, fell softly. He kissed the back of my hand and whispered sweetly. ¡°You mustn¡¯t get hurt.¡± Eyes like a recording captured me. ¡°I¡¯ll die¡­ My heart.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I felt that feeling. The sincere heart contained in the letter that he wrote thinking of me while listening to the sound of snow wolves crying in the distance. I answered with a grin. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°He is a dangerous man. He is a cruel, ruthless person.¡± I was walking with Heinrich, blankly contemplating Kyle¡¯s words. It was only less than five minutes away from the place of conversation to , but Heinrich had to come to pick me up (He said he really wanted to take me back). That short distance). He¡¯s cruel and impolite¡­ He¡¯s still the Crown Prince, but has he already gained such notoriety?¡¯ He wasn¡¯t just a scary person, Sislin. Then there was a terrifying sound. ¡°Where have you been? Annette.¡± The voice felt as if it was clenching my ankles. I stopped, motionless. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± A huge shadow was cast in front of us. Then it gradually swallowed me up. A man with an overwhelming physique standing in front of the sun with his wide back. His exhausted red eyes looked literally cruel and inhumane. I called out his name like a groan. ¡°¡ªSislin.¡± Credits goes to Kushi for raw providing, Ame for translating, and Tassie for proofreading. CH 88 ¡°You two must be having a good time.¡± While saying those words, Sislin¡¯s rosy red eyes stared at me tenaciously. Even though Heinrich was right next to me. ¡°¡­What¡¯s going on here?¡± Heinrich immediately responded to his voice. ¡°What? I didn¡¯t invite anyone. Why are there so many people¡­? I don¡¯t think you have any sense.¡± It was clearly a voice of ridicule. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡®This screwed-up chihuahua, are you still temperamental?¡¯ His appearance, completely not conscious of whether the opponent was the crown prince or not. It was a time when I was admiring that unrestrainedness. Heinrich took a step forward. Then he flicked his beautiful silver hair and bowed down gracefully, observing the etiquette. He said arrogantly, with glaring pride. ¡°I have heard rumors that you have been appointed to the Crown Prince, Your Highness. I should have visited you earlier¡­¡± ¡®Wow, did my Heinri grow up? You didn¡¯t merely act like a baby, but you became a person who knows etiquette!¡¯ ¨DAs soon as I thought that, Heinrich said with a refreshing smile. ¡°I just didn¡¯t go. I don¡¯t want to go.¡± Oh, he was just trying to rile him up! ¡°¡ªHeinrich.¡± I quickly grabbed his collar and stopped him. Then I glanced over a little. Surprisingly, Sislin didn¡¯t care. It was kind of like, a dog that kept barking next to you, or a mosquito that kept humming next to you; you wouldn¡¯t respond to each and every one of them. Those were pretty dull eyes. ¡®Oh my God, that¡¯s even worse.¡¯ I was mildly shocked. At that moment, a low voice resounded through his rib cage. ¡°I heard you were ¡®together¡¯ at home last night¡­¡± As if tired, Sislin gently stroked the lower part of his red eyes with his large hand. ¡°Last night.¡± His gaze fell to the floor, then he brought his red eyes up and looked straight at me. ¡°Did you two sleep?¡± ¡®Am I trash for hearing strange nuances?¡¯ ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± I was taken by surprise at Heinrich¡¯s confident answer. ¡°Why, we slept in the same bed.¡± Heinrich curved his lips that were as red as a fruit and smiled mischievously. ¡®It¡¯s getting even weirder, Heinrich.¡¯ Sislin looked at me with a low smile. He stared at my face for a while, chewing and spitting the words out. ¡°Did you?¡± It felt as if my spine were being pierced by that voice. For some reason, I felt a tingling sensation in my wrist. The wrists tied to him. The red eyes were reddened. He¡¯s smiling, but why does he look so angry? ¡°I told you, yes. You bastard.¡± Sislin¡¯s gaze was directed to Heinrich straight away. He didn¡¯t ignore it this time. He stabbed in a low voice. ¡°Filthy thing.¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡®This has to stop.¡¯ The instinct of nth years of shrimp life came. If I didn¡¯t stop it here, my carapace would burst. I hurried forward. ¡°Your Highness the Crown Prince. Did you come to see me?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Fortunately, Sislin¡¯s gaze returned to me. ¡°Let¡¯s talk.¡± ¡°Sister¡­!¡± I said to Heinrich with a calm smile. Like before. ¡°Heinrich. Go first, I¡¯ll be in soon.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make you something delicious. In the evening.¡± Heinrich, unable to hide his anguish, showed it on his face, and immediately spoke to Sislin. ¡°Did you hear that? You can¡¯t eat.¡± Then he left the place. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ I straightened my back and looked at Sislin. ¡®Get a grip, Annette.¡¯ I lost my ¡®wrist freedom¡¯ in the last meeting. Knowing that he was a man who could make me get swept away if I didn¡¯t come to my senses, I was nervous. I calmly opened my mouth. ¡°Why did you come to see me?¡± Sislin¡¯s sharp eyes narrowed. He folded his arms tightly. A large hand and a clear vein on a thick forearm caught my eye. A low voice pierced my ear. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°The last thing I said previously.¡± Then, his low voice came to mind. ¡°I¡¯ll visit you often, so show me when I come.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I thought I was going crazy because I missed you.¡± With what expression he said those words, the temperature when I heard it, and the smell of the air; I remembered it all. I spoke calmly without showing any expression. ¡°It¡¯s difficult, Your Highness.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Are you going to come every time you miss me? ¡­I have my own life.¡± Sislin narrowed his eyes as if it was amusing. ¡°Not every time.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve endured it 200 times.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡ªYou held it in that much? I blinked in surprise, and Sislin took a step closer to me. ¡°I endured the fact a thousand times. Annette, every minute, every second, it¡¯s impossible to forget you.¡± Crazy. ¡®You¡¯re an obsessive maniac, really.¡¯ ¡®Oh God¡­¡¯ I think this party would really be my doom party. But if I shake here, I might look like Heinrich from the original. That dreadful thought took hold of my mind. ¡°Be more patient. Please promise me that.¡± ¡°What if I just come?¡± Just come¡­? Right. ¡®No, there¡¯s nothing I can do if you just come.¡¯ It was not like I could use a lot of magic to defeat him. I was neither emperor nor king. However. The moment I lose my confidence, I will be eaten. Fights were said to be about momentum. I wielded the only, but cruel weapon I had to him. ¡°Then you will be hated again. Forever.¡± ¡°¡­Another threat?¡± His dark eyebrows rose. ¡®It seems to be working.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m in a position to grab some straw and shake it, Sislin.¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Sislin looked at me intently, silent for a moment. He said he had come to see me, and that was literally the case. I could feel his gaze linger on my hair, through my eyelashes, on my nose, on my lips, and down my neck and arms. His eyes looked like he was searching everywhere. ¡°¡­If you¡¯re done, you¡¯d better go now.¡± I tried to finish in a hurry, but he cut through the gap and dug in. ¡°I heard there is a party.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡­How far has my doom party been rumored? ¡°So?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a very big party. I heard that Annette will prepare the food herself.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Food that I can¡¯t eat.¡± He squinted, quoting what Heinrich had said earlier. He seemed terribly jealous. ¡°You must have invited Heinrich.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ Somehow, it came out, and he directly said that he would come, it¡¯s not by invitation.¡± ¡°What if ¡®this one¡¯ also goes?¡± Sislin pointed at himself shamelessly. It was amazing. ¡°Didn¡¯t I come with an appointment?¡± ¡°¡­Uh¡­¡± I hesitated a little. Heinrich and Kyle would be there, and now even Sislin ? It¡¯s against the principle of not putting eggs and madmen in one basket (which has become my new motto). ¡®If all three of you come, what village party is that, God¡­¡¯ It¡¯s a hell party for crazy people. He didn¡¯t seem interested in parties at all. I didn¡¯t know why he was suddenly interested. ¡ªIt¡¯s nothing but God¡¯s trick. But there was absolutely no justification to say no. Heinrich was literally invited, and it was too harsh to not let Sislin come when he wanted to. And in the back of my mind; Actually, there was the Sislin who played in water for the first time, and also, the Sislin who blew soap bubbles for the first time. ¡®I can¡¯t leave him alone.¡¯ ¡°Okay.¡± He had a strangely happy expression. While I felt strangely cheated. ¡®Do the villagers know that the Crown Prince, Marquis, and Grand Duke are coming to this crazy neighborhood party¡­¡¯ I thought roughly with a cloudy brain (?). ¡®Hehe. I don¡¯t know anymore. When handsome people come, everyone will love it!¡¯ ¡°The party is tomorrow. It will be held in the garden and inside .¡± ¡°I will definitely go.¡± Sislin smiled as he promised. ¡®You don¡¯t have to come all the way, but¡­¡¯ It felt like he would surely come. It was when I suddenly had a hell party with crazy people. I could feel a gaze from afar. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± It was Heinrich. Heinrich looked very uncomfortable as the conversation dragged on. He had his chin clenched. As I stared at his side, I noticed. When our eyes met, Heinrich moved his mouth. ¡®Come quickly, Sister.¡¯ ¨DI could see him mouthing. ¡®Looks like my baby is bored.¡¯ Should I go in now? I had this thought for a while. Without realizing it, I remembered what I had been conscious of all day. The pattern on my wrist. It was as if my wrists were getting hot. ¡°I have one question.¡± As the girl opened her mouth, Sislin¡¯s eyes lit up with interest. What¡¯s the question? Like a rabbit caught in a trap, the question was asked with anxious eyes. His red pupils turned towards the slender, white wrists that she was stroking. There grew the vines and flowers that his heart had planted. Like poison that penetrates sweetly. ¡®Ah¡­ that.¡¯ Sislin¡¯s lips twisted gently. ¡°The question, ask.¡± ¡ªHe was thrilled even before he heard it. CH 89 ¡®May I ask you this?¡¯ ¡®May I ask?¡¯ I hesitated a bit and then asked. ¡°This artifact, it¡¯s invisible to other people.¡± ¡°To begin with, those kinds of artifacts are only visible to the parties involved in the contract.¡± I see. But there was another part that I was really curious about. I continued, gently stroking my wrist. ¡°Then, what about magic?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± If I looked back on the memories of studying for an A+ in as a model student of the Forest, there was a subtle magical power flowing through these artifacts themselves. Even if used, the magical power was, of course, valid. However, even Heinrich, a powerful wizard, was unaware of the existence of the pattern engraved on this wrist. It meant that he couldn¡¯t sense the magical power. Sislin gave an honest answer, his eyes even wondering why I was curious about it. ¡°The artifact has another spell on it that blocks the detection of magic.¡± It meant that no magical power could be detected and that only the contracting parties could visually check it. ¡°So no one knows.¡± ¡°Why did you let no one know¡­?¡± Of course, from my point of view, this was better than having rumors about the neighborhood. However, I was curious as to why he chose this way. ¡°Well.¡± ¡°Is there any special reason?¡± If I know why, I might find out how to destroy this artifact. ¡ªOr maybe I wouldn¡¯t know. But it was true that the more information would be more helpful. My life was still too long to be tied to this for the rest of my life. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± It was then. He was silently looking at me as I asked for a ¡®special reason¡¯, and he moved. His broad shoulders gently leaned toward me to the point of being intimidating. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I looked straight ahead without avoiding his gaze. I didn¡¯t want to make it obvious that I was agitated. The handsome face with the eyes of a predator stared at me silently¡­ and whispered softly in my ear. ¡°I¡¯ll just say it¡¯s a little naughty.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± Crazy. ¡®Sir Obsessive Maniac, why is the keyword ¡®unparalleled¡¯ all of a sudden?!¡¯ I was trying my best not to be shaken, but it seemed to have already failed. Because my face got warm. I shouldn¡¯t have asked. That was when I was confused; ¡°Sister¡­ Hey, why is the conversation so long?¡± Heinrich, who was grunting like a dog who was desperate for something, appeared with a little notice. He asked, looking at my flushed face and the normal Sislin, squinting his eyes as if something was suspicious. ¡°What were you talking about? You two.¡± Without hesitation, Sislin tried to open his mouth. At that moment, I barely covered his mouth. ¡°Uhh, nothing much.¡± I could feel Sislin¡¯s lips creeping up on my palm. He looked very happy. ¡ªTo the extent that it was a little ridiculous. I moved away the hand that was covering his lips, and said, ¡°Well, go ahead. Your Highness the Crown Prince.¡± ¡°Thank you for inviting me to the party. I will definitely attend.¡± As Sislin spoke, Heinrich¡¯s expression became noticeably colder. ¡°What, why would you invite that beast to a party? You are an uninvited guest. She never invited you.¡± ¡®Actually, I never invited you either, Heinrich.¡¯ ¡°How can the villagers relax when the Crown Prince comes to the party? Tactless bastard.¡± ¡®Same goes for the Grand Duke, Heinrich.¡¯ Heinrich shouted as he stared at Sislin¡¯s back with arrogant eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t come again.¡± Tak, tak. Sislin ignored it and just walked. ¡°Because I¡¯m going to live here with Sister. okay?¡± Tak, tak. ¡°Sister and I are getting married!¡± ¡®¡­Is it? Why doesn¡¯t your sister know about it, Heinrich?¡¯ It was then. Sislin, who had been silently listening, turned around and started walking this way at a frightening speed. ¡®Ah, I think he¡¯s finally going to hit Heinrich!¡¯ He held it in for a long time. Heinrich also seemed slightly embarrassed when Sislin came over. Sislin approached without hesitation, wrapped a hand around my wrist, and slowly lowered his body. He made eye contact with me as he placed his warm lips on the inside of my wrist that was engraved with a pattern. ¡ªIt was a pretty serious kiss. My heart warmed up in an instant. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The lips fell off quickly, but the warm feeling on the inside of the wrist remained as if it was about to burn. His red eyes smiled only for the girl. Next to the man shouting that he would marry Annette, the way he dared to seize and kiss her was wild, even playful. He did more damage to Heinrich than a hundred words. Sislin, who stole the girl boldly, leisurely left the place with his usual relaxed and wide strides. Belatedly, the sound of Heinrich seething behind his wide back could be heard as boring background music. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ In Larva¡¯s headquarters. ¡°Tomorrow is finally the party! It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve felt really nervous.¡± Chubby smiled warmly, the feeling incongruent with his size. Another Larva member said with bright eyes. ¡°There must be a lot of delicious bread!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always eaten it sparingly, but I can finally devour bread¡­¡± ¡°Hey, have a meal before you go. At parties like that, it¡¯s basically a social gathering while trembling with elegance! Who is going to eat?¡± ¡°Right. We need to eat more than usual.¡± Another heinous looking man supported the one that made this strong claim. ¡°Unfortunately, I should eat less than 15 of them.¡± (TL/N: it wasn¡¯t specified in the raws as to ¡®eating what¡¯, but I guess we can infer it to be bread/buns/baked goods.) Originally, he ate 30 pieces in one sitting. Still, it was an unconventional declaration of a ¡®half-portion¡¯. ¡°Then don¡¯t you just dry up and die?¡± Number 19 was really worried. Tomorrow was the party, and from the evening before the night before, Larva¡¯s minds were as if they were already in the party. It was as if they were more excited than the young ladies making their debut in the social world. One-eyed spoke as if to calm the overheated atmosphere. ¡°Everyone, don¡¯t get carried away. Just behave as usual.¡± At the same time, he wiped the ¡®glass eyeball¡¯ that he usually doesn¡¯t wear, apart from only on special occasions. ¡ªIt was not convincing at all. All the excitement was the same, so everyone laughed it off. ¡°The only regret is that we will be participating as tomorrow.¡± ¡°I know. It would be more meaningful if we just participated as Larva.¡± As Winston¡¯s shield, of course, they were invited to parties. They were banquets held by the state if the subjugation of the beasts was accomplished successfully. However, it was rumored that they were very scary warriors, so when they went to a noble party, everyone seemed reluctant to get involved. It was all about seeing the faces of the nobles who were forced to attend because of Winston¡¯s name. Such a position couldn¡¯t have been pleasant. So, everyone had a negative impression of participating in the party as . ¡°¡­It won¡¯t be the same at the town party tomorrow, will it?¡±, One of the scary men with ¡®banquet trauma¡¯ suddenly said. ¡°No way.¡± Still, everyone was a little agitated. In the atmosphere of joy and worry, Kyle was quiet throughout. He rested his chin on his hand and was deep in thought. Recalling the conversation he had with Annette earlier. ¡°Owner, did the Crown Prince of El Dorado come to visit?¡± ¡°Yes, he just came to see me.¡± ¡®The Crown Prince has come to Bayonaire¡­¡¯ It was also at that time when went to subjugate the north. When he gave a false command to catch a griffin that didn¡¯t exist, he came to Annette with the perfect timing. ¡®Absolutely no coincidence.¡¯ Now, Kyle had turned his suspicions about the crown prince into almost certainty. ¡®He must have smelled something.¡¯ The crown prince was a man who had been looking for Annette for a long time. In the process, Gerard¡¯s tracking group and the movement might have overlapped, and traces of Circe or Larva might have been found. ¡®But obviously there is no solid evidence.¡¯ If everyone knew that was actually the former Circe organization (now Larva) protecting Annette. In the first place, they would have found her by slaying Winston, instead of going the long way of war. ¨DWith that temper, it wouldn¡¯t have been much to destroy his family. If he thought only of Larva and Winston¡­ ¡­It was definitely time to save himself. However. ¡°Are you okay, Owner?¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯m okay. I just met my old friend after a long time.¡± She said it was okay. ¡°I was very sad when we parted¡­ I am very happy to see him again.¡± Rather, there was a nuance not to worry because it was a happy event. But Kyle was sensitive to her change. He read some worries and fears. It was natural. For an ordinary woman, meeting the man who caused a war with madness to find you would not be pure joy. No matter how much she loved her old friend, she must be in a complicated mood now. Yet, she tried not to show it¡­ It was when Kyle was thinking of her and feeling sorry for her. ¡°Master! Annette sent you a letter.¡± One-eyed received the letter from the squirrel and handed it to him. For a letter, it was a smaller note than usual. It looked like it was sent in a hurry. Kyle quickly opened the note. The content was just this. ¡¸Crown Prince Sislin is joining the party tomorrow.¡¹ ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Kyle¡¯s brow twitched. CH 90 The contents of the note continued below. ¡¸It might be a little unnatural for the in the capital to be on Bayonaire Island. You have to explain your relationship with me. The Crown Prince (there was a trace that she wrote ¡®Sislin¡¯ but erased it) is a quick-witted person. Please be careful. Looking forward to a fun party, Annette.¡¹ It was a note that thoroughly thought of Kyle¡¯s position. He was thankful that she cared about him like this even though she must be confused. Usually, when someone¡¯s told a secret, they only keep it to the extent that they don¡¯t reveal it to others. But she was more attentive and considerate than that. Kyle blushed and wrapped his hands around his face. ¡°¡­I¡¯m falling for you day by day.¡± It was a really serious illness. How could a person¡¯s face and heart be this pretty? Kyle was blushing, and the Larva members looked at each other and exchanged glances that said, ¡®Master, again¡­¡¯ However, this innocently handsome man was so engrossed with Annette and his own world (even without Annette) that he did not know their gazes. What kind of letter did Annette send to you? When the ferocious-looking men were curious, Chubby stepped up and peeked at the letter. Then he read it out loud indifferently. ¡°Crown Prince Sislin is coming to the party tomorrow.¡± ¡°What?¡± There was a calm stir among the members, surprised by the unexpected name. They heard that the reason for setting up Larva¡¯s base in Bayonaire, a rural area, was because of Annette. It was very burdensome to have the crown prince appear at the village party (although, of course, it was also a bit too much for the marquis to appear). The same thought came to the minds of the members of Larva, who had been careful in hiding their appearance. ¡°Well, I can¡¯t help it. You all think the same, right?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m thinking the same thing.¡± ¡°I agree.¡± The terrifying-looking men all nodded. Tomorrow, they were going to attend in the most fashion. ¡ªPeople look pretty different depending on their clothes, and their credibility changes. In their experience of hiding their identities as Larva, humans were weaker than expected to the ¡®unconsciousness¡¯. With their sword-like figure in formal uniforms given by the empire, it was difficult to recall Larva, who ruled the ¡®lawless zone.¡¯ The big guy stroked his beard and laughed. ¡°Are we going to our first party in uniform?¡± ¡°Our uniforms are cool.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not comfortable, but our faces will actually look less hideous.¡± Then, the quiet one-eyed man said to Kyle. ¡°Master, why don¡¯t we give up the party tomorrow? I think it¡¯s time to save your own skin. If it¡¯s true that the Crown Prince deliberately ordered a ¡®false suppression order¡¯¡­ Isn¡¯t that a little dangerous?¡± Kyle, who was listening silently, replied. ¡°It¡¯s more suspicious to avoid it now. And¡­¡± His dark green eyes deepened. ¡°I don¡¯t want to avoid it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The determined mouth held arsenic. ¡°I¡¯d like to hear what the Devil of Crevasse has to say.¡± Sometimes their master was terribly fearless and bold. Enough to rip off a beast¡¯s mouth with his bare hands. And it was clear that the moment of ¡®fearlessly bold¡¯ had come. The ferocious men were all thinking the same thing at this moment. ¡®It¡¯s going to be quite a sight tomorrow.¡¯ ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ Late evening. Heinrich decided to stay at Annette¡¯s house for another day today. Heinrich¡¯s logic was that he would come to Annette¡¯s house to attend the party tomorrow anyway, so why should he leave today? After dinner, Heinrich sneaked out of . It was to meet Duncan. [Your investigation is over, Your Excellency.] It was a background check on that Kyle or something. ¡®Let¡¯s see how great he is.¡¯ As Heinrich walked toward the carriage, Duncan noticed like a ghost and came out first to greet him politely. ¡°Here you are, Your Excellency.¡± Heinrich, who could not hide his hasty temper, omitted the greeting and asked, ¡°What kind of kid is he?¡± ¡°The full name is Kyle Winston, the current Marquis of El Dorado, who leads .¡± His eyes shot up. ¡°What?¡± ¡®He¡¯s a Winston. That¡¯s why he used a shotgun. Where did I hear of it before¡­¡¯ ¡°Please look at this for more information.¡± It wasn¡¯t until Heinrich passed through the documents with detailed information under the title of ¡®Kyle Winston¡¯ that he found out. Why Kyle was so arrogant. He was a bastard who had been catching beasts on the battlefield since childhood. ¡°Why are there so many savage humans, him and that guy¡­¡± ¡ªIt was even more unpleasant to see. Heinrich, who had been flipping through the documents roughly, closed it. Then he spoke, parting the sweet red lips on his beautiful face. ¡°These days, the marquis is really naughty.¡± How should he fix this marquis¡¯ habit? ¡°You¡¯re good at business aren¡¯t you, like a dog?¡± Recalling the ridicule Kyle had made, Heinrich fell into his thoughts. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Duncan saw. His master, it changed into the beautiful and eerie eyes of Vivantum. ¡°This bastard is coming to the party tomorrow.¡± The red corners of his lips twisted. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± Duncan thought. For some, it would be a very long party. ¡®Tomorrow won¡¯t be easy.¡¯ ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ On the day of the party that finally came, I was very busy from the morning. ¡°Have all the fruits arrived?¡± ¡°It¡¯s here!¡± Neighbors who agreed to help with the party were bustling, so the atmosphere in the store was very good. Today was the day when the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd floors of and even the garden were open. As there were many customers, there was a lot of food and a lot of laughter. ¡°Please finish setting up the barbecue. I will go to the kitchen and look at the cake one last time.¡± After many twists and turns, there was my masterpiece in the kitchen, the third cake. I definitely thought the third would be a cake the size of a rat¡¯s poop. I was so determined to do it right, I got an incredibly splendid result. It was a fresh and sweet cake with whipped cream made by myself, and topped with a lot of strawberry decorations. I smiled and muttered. ¡°¡­Did I finally make it?¡± Also known as, my ruined celebration (?) party cake. I did this after all¡­ Again, tears seemed to flow. At this point, I needed to look back on my life as a good bread lover. Just a few days ago, I was making a cake for a ¡®small happy ending¡¯. All of a sudden, within a week, God gave me three crazy people who came all the way here. ¡°Fufu¡­¡± ¡®Life. I really don¡¯t know an inch ahead.¡¯ Thinking of today¡¯s ¡®glamorous lineup¡¯ made me feel like a dried cucumber, but¡­ ¡°What can I do?¡± Everyone was so excited and even the setting was perfect. ¡ªEveryone was excited except for me. I worked with a half-dissolved brain (?) attached. However, thanks to everyone¡¯s unanimous heart, the perfect party was completed. Beautiful flowers adorned the garden, and inside , had desserts and sponsored wines. At the main table in the garden, there were many foods that would make a hearty dinner, including finger food. There was no music, but the laughter of people could be considered so. ¡°Annette! I think everything¡¯s done?¡± Marianne (a lady who lived in the diagonal log cabin), who helped decorate the place with flowers, gently told me the truth. Some residents had already arrived. ¡°I thought it would be small, but the place is quite large, isn¡¯t it?¡± Absolutely. Huhu, the name was , but it was built on a large area. ¡°Wow, there¡¯s plenty of food, Annette.¡± ¡°Oh my God, look at that huge, pretty cake! I¡¯ve never seen anything like that!¡± ¡°I can meet all the villagers here today, right?¡± Oh, not only the villagers, but also handsome though a little sullen (?) people would come. Obviously, I wasn¡¯t thrilled at first, but seeing their excited reactions, I gradually started to feel better. ¡®Since it¡¯s like this, why don¡¯t I enjoy it?¡¯ I couldn¡¯t wait to see what would happen today¡­ It was probably going to be an unforgettable party. ¡®Please make all three crazy people quiet.¡¯ After a brief prayer to God, I officially hit a spoon against a wine glass and said, ¡°All right! ¡®Party for Everyone¡¯s Happy Ending¡¯ begins!¡± I cried with a smile. ¡°All guests, please enter!¡± Just then, the first guests entered the party. Everyone who saw them widened their eyes. ¡°¡­¡­ !?!¡± I was surprised when I looked at the door without thinking. ¡®Crazy.¡¯ ¡®Why are the three of them coming in together¡­?¡¯ CH 91 Black wavy hair and sharp red eyes. The crown prince, who was close to 190cm tall, appeared first. The overwhelmingly well trained beast-like physique and intimidating atmosphere made the villagers hold their breath all at once. They all looked at him in awe. It was when I felt my heart sink just by looking at him. ¡°¡­Wow.¡± People murmured in admiration. Subsequently, a beautiful man like a statue of an angel appeared. Heinrich. He appeared, pushing the heavy and cold air away at once, and brightly reversed the surroundings with his unique atmosphere. Long silver eyelashes beneath the clean silver hair felt noble. His purple eyes were terrifyingly beautiful, and his reddish-red lips were ¡®arrogance¡¯ itself. He was a handsome man like a luscious fruit that fell alone on the cold, pure white snow field. ¡°¡­Is he a nobleman?¡± ¡°He looks like a nobleman.¡± ¡°Look at his outfit. Those gorgeous clothes suit him without any sense of incongruity¡­¡± The villagers whispered. It was clear that they were being careful, sneaking glances at him. I thought about it. ¡®It¡¯s ruined.¡¯ Definitely, I told him to come like a commoner, but how was it that he was so glamorous? ¡®Heinri¡­ Commoners don¡¯t wear fancy cravats like that.¡¯ ¡®How could you hang a jewel that is hard to buy even if you save up for the rest of your life on a cravat and insist that you are a commoner?¡¯ And then. ¡°Ah, I guess those are !¡± People buzzed as they looked at the entrance. , dressed in all-white uniforms with Kyle at the forefront, entered the room. The fact that they were a group in neat and clean uniforms attracted everyone¡¯s attention. They didn¡¯t look as gentle as knights, rather, they all looked like tough and capable warriors. Their leader, Kyle Winston, had rather docile eyes and a pure atmosphere, creating a very different feeling. All the women blushed. ¡°The uniform is really cool.¡± ¡°The leader¡¯s appearance¡­ It¡¯s really different from what I thought. He seems like a really nice gentleman. I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s exterminating beasts and protecting us¡­!¡± ¡°Oh my gosh, that¡¯s Marquis Kyle Winston. I think I saw him in town!¡± This time, everyone expressed themselves freely. Unlike Sislin and Heinrich, who had suppressed the atmosphere, Kyle seemed to be able to be spoken of wonderfully. The three and the members of sat on one side at a table (which I made sure to arrange in the corner). ¡®Crazy.¡¯ Did I think wrongly? If the three people were spaced apart, I thought that there would be three spots that the residents would be concerned about, so I put them together. ¨DBut because they were gathered together, there was a huge bouquet effect. ¡®Even though I set them at the corner as much as I could, I can only see them¡­!¡¯ I touched my forehead. ¡®It is fortunate that the table is very, very large.¡¯ It was a distance that could be avoided if they wanted to hurt each other. ¡®Ignore each other, please.¡¯ I strengthened my grip, hitting the glass again with a spoon to draw attention to me. Then I smiled broadly. ¡°Now, let¡¯s have a cake cutting ceremony! It¡¯s a very sweet and delicious cake, so please enjoy it everyone~¡± ¡°Wow! Cake!¡± ¡°I liwke cwake!¡± Fortunately, with the enthusiastic support of the younger guests, the villagers smiled at their cute appearance and paid attention to the cake. The atmosphere that had been rigid at the appearance of a huge number of guests was relieved to some extent. ¡°Whew¡­¡± I greeted the guests one after another, and went to ¡®that table¡¯ (like visiting a dog house full of hunting dogs). First up, Kyle Winston. ¡°Mr. Kyle! Thank you so much for coming.¡± He, who had been sitting neatly, stood up with his gentle eyes as soon as he saw me. ¡°Owner.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Thank you for inviting us.¡± Simultaneously with those words, the members of the shield with slightly scary impressions stood up. ¡°Miss Annette! I¡¯ve heard a lot about you! It¡¯s really great to see you in person.¡± ¡°Miss Annette! ¡­It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve been invited to a party like this since I was born. It¡¯s touching.¡± Among them, the one-eyed man (the other eye was a glass eyeball, which was amazing) brought his hands together tightly to his chest and said seriously. ¡°Please take good care of our leader.¡± ¡°¡­What? Yes.¡± ¡°He may seem strange at times, but he is not as strange as he seems.¡± ¡­Yes¡­ yes¡­? You know it gets weird sometimes, right? Then, one of the shields stepped forward and smiled. ¡°Ah, can I call you sister-in-law?¡± ¡°Oh, my.¡± ¡°Everyone, stop.¡± Kyle stepped forward and cut it off like a knife. My ears were red from embarrassment. I smiled at the shields. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you all too!¡± At that single sentence, passionate cheers and animal-like roars erupted. There were others hitting the table, bang bang. What¡¯s with this reaction¡­ I just said I was glad. After saying goodbye to them, I went to Heinrich and Sislin. It was then. Dang! There was a bit of a loud noise from the kitchen. The voice of Aunt Marilyn (the resident who supplied the rum) followed. ¡°Gosh! What if I mess up the kitchen.¡± I thought about it. ¡®It¡¯ll be rather good.¡¯ Shashasak, I quickly approached Heinrich and Sislin and said, ¡°Your Highness the Crown Prince, thank you for coming.¡± And since there was only Heinrich around, it was okay to say so openly. Sislin sat loosely, staring at me with the eyes beneath his dark eyebrows. ¡°And thank you, Heinrich. Well then¡­¡± Heinrich slightly twisted his lips, showing he didn¡¯t like it. I greeted them roughly, and gestured towards the kitchen with my eyebrows lowered as if ¡®an accident had happened and there was nothing I can do about it.¡¯ Then I quickly ran away. ¡®Phew¡­¡¯ I was relieved only after I turned the corner and leaned against the wall. ¡®Thank God.¡¯ The back of the shrimp was unharmed after the greeting. But it was really weird. ¡°¡­I just said hello, but why am I so tired?¡± It was clear that my heart had weakened because of the three crazy guys. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°What do we do, Miss Annette? The kitchen is so messed up. My twins are such little troublemakers¡ª¡± Two five-year-old kids looked up at me with their eyes wide open. Aunt Marilyn scolded me sternly. ¡°You two! Apologize.¡± The twins nodded their tiny heads with a genuinely sorry expression. ¡°It¡¯s okay, they¡¯re kids, so they can cause trouble. I¡¯ll clear it up soon.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it, Miss Annette.¡± ¡®Oh but, if you take my job, I¡¯ll have to go see crazy people.¡¯ ¡®That¡¯s not enough¡­¡¯ I replied promptly with eyes twinkling like a cleaning maniac. ¡°No, I will clean this place, so go out and look after the twins. It¡¯s dangerous here.¡± ¡°Gosh¡­¡± Aunt Marilyn apologized several times and went out with her twins. I glanced around. ¡°¡ªIt¡¯s a mess.¡± This, and that, it¡¯s going to take a long time to clean this up? The hell party would be over when I¡¯m all done, hm? ¡®Whoa, why am I laughing?¡¯ Just then. A languid, low voice was heard from behind. ¡°Sister.¡± ¡°¡­¡­! Oh, my gosh.¡± When I turned around in surprise, I saw Heinrich leaning on the table and smiling. ¡°¡­Heinrich.¡± His purple eyes narrowed. ¡°Why are you so surprised? Just like someone who ran away.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± I was looking at Heinrich with a pricked heart, and he walked over to my side. ¡°I¡¯ll help you, Sister.¡± ¡°I can do it myself.¡± ¡°The floor is full of oil, it¡¯s slippery, you might get hurt.¡± ¡ªIt was the same for you. ¡®Fragile Heinrich, with a hand like a cotton cat¡¯s paw, what could you do to help me?¡¯ Heinrich casually picked up a bottle of oil and asked me. ¡°Sister, why did you call Sislin ¡®Your Highness the Crown Prince¡¯? You call me like you used to.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, about Sislin¡­¡± Well, how do I explain it? ¡°He has changed a lot from before. It¡¯s uncomfortable, and it bothers me when we¡¯re together¡­¡± ¡°It bothers you?¡± Heinrich just picked up on that word and asked, staring at me silently. His eyes were somehow sharply darkened. ¡°Then, me?¡± ¡°Heinrich, is my ¡®brother¡¯!¡± I smiled, tapped Heinrich¡¯s arm and added, ¡°My baby. Cute Heinri.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Normally, it would be the time where he would say, ¡®That¡¯s right, sister.¡¯ But he was looking at me with an uncomfortable expression on his face. ¡®Ah, ah, why is my baby doing that?¡¯ Heinrich said as he dumped the bottle of oil into the trash can. ¡°Sister, how did you become friends with Marquis Winston?¡± ¡°Just because~¡± ¡°It¡¯s strange. were originally in the capital, how and why did they get to this Bayonaire?¡± ¡®You have a lot of questions today, Heinrich.¡¯ ¡®Why are you asking this?¡¯ In addition, from the standpoint of hiding Mr. Kyle¡¯s identity, it was best to avoid such conversation. ¡®Let¡¯s use the evasion technique.¡¯ In this case, it was most natural to return the question. ¡°How did Heinrich come to Bayonaire?¡± Like this. Heinrich turned around, placing his hand on the table. Then, staring at the innocent face of the girl nearby, he licked his red lips to the point that he looked mean. ¡°Shall I tell you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I made a ¡®living Annette doll¡¯.¡± I could feel my eyes shaking. ¡°Sister¡¯s eyes, lips, breath¡­ up to a strand of hair. Remembering everything, the ¡®same¡¯.¡± His brutally tenacious eyes curved. ¡°I slept with that doll every day. I was ecstatic to see you again.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The words were engraved in the girl¡¯s trembling eyes as if in shock. Heinrich took a step forward, looking into her lovely green eyes. Hah¡ª My breath caught in my throat. ¡°I used your soul with that doll, and that¡¯s how I came all the way here.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± For a moment, I couldn¡¯t do anything. At this time, Heinrich rolled his eyes and let out a low laugh. ¡°It¡¯s a joke, Sister. How could I have done such a creepy thing?¡± Stiff, I smiled a little slowly. ¡°¡­Yes, I was surprised.¡± Heinrich thought she must have been pretty tense; she was leaning against the table, resting her hand on her chest, inhaling and exhaling. That moment. Annette¡¯s small body stumbled on the slippery, oily floor. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Heinrich caught her in a hug. His strong arms supported her weight, and his large, right hand grabbed her waist. ¡®She came into my arms.¡¯ ¡®What should I do?¡¯ The purple eyes could not hide their desire and narrowed exhilaratingly. As the startled Annette tried to escape, Heinrich simply stopped her as if he was dealing with a baby. ¡°Heinrich¡­¡± At her call, rather¡ª Swssh. He pulled his face in front of her nose, tightening his arms around her. As if swallowing the dawn of winter, he asked softly with dark eyes. ¡°Am I really just like a ¡®brother¡¯?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°To me¡­¡± With her trembling pale green eyes, piteously red cheeks, bitten lips¡­ He gave them a close look, then met her eyes again. He pulled his lips together and smiled. ¡°You¡¯re a woman.¡± CH 92 Heinrich¡¯s eyes deepened like a pit. Heat gathered in his heart. This woman, with blonde hair pathetically scattered in his arms, was the real Annette. ¡ªNot a doll. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡®You don¡¯t know how much I missed this sweet smell of your body, the feeling of your slender body in my arms, and the sound of your heart beating and pounding hard.¡¯ Heinrich stroked her cheek with the back of his large hand. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¨DShe could feel the white, cold fingers barely skimming over her skin. At that time, Annette¡¯s eyelids trembled slightly. Her voice was as small as a whisper, but very firm words were uttered. ¡°Heinrich, stop it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Tak, grabbing his wrist, her pale green eyes stared straight at him. In an instant, Heinrich¡¯s eyes widened slightly. Soon his heart began to burn like a starving child¡¯s. He thought she was definitely in his arms, but this attitude and gaze¡­ Now it was Heinrich who was shaking. It was the moment when he bit his red lips in agony. Bang! There was a loud bang, like a crash on the door. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± When they looked at the door in surprise, they saw a man with shoulders and back as wide as the door, arms crossed. ¡ªIt was Sislin. The door was still shaking as it was like he had punched it, but it was quite effective. Because Annette fell away from Heinrich. ¡°Oh my. It¡¯s a surprise.¡± In a plain tone that contained no surprise at all, Heinrich coldly frowned. As if he had expected all the uninvited guests to come. ¡®I¡¯m surprised too.¡¯ I was surprised, and I tidied my hair (I didn¡¯t do anything wrong, but I felt like I was caught). Then I quickly asked. ¡°¡­Your Highness, what are you doing here? In the kitchen?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Sislin stared at me silently with his dark eyes. Then with his long legs, he slowly entered, and poured a strong drink into his glass. Leaning against the wall, he drank, still staring at me and Heinrich. Heinrich was disgusted. ¡°Ugh, this savage bastard¡­ You used all your strength.¡± His lips were pressed and thin, and his elegant handsome face mercilessly crumpled. ¡°Really, I hate people with a dirty temper the most.¡± Sislin, who had been listening silently, said, ¡°Then how much do you mean he hates himself?¡± ¡°¡­¡­?!¡± ¡®Your Highness the Crown Prince, you¡¯re good at arguing.¡¯ Heinrich¡¯s face slowly turned red like an apple. ¡®¡­It¡¯s true that you have a bad temper, so you can¡¯t argue against it, Heinrich.¡¯ My pupils shook. The feeling was here. I had a feeling. The shell of a shrimp in its 1n-year-old life could feel a crisis was about to burst. Just as the knees of an elderly one responded first before it rained, the shrimp¡¯s shell reacted quickly. I swiftly intervened. ¡°Well, then, will Heinrich go out first? I¡¯ll finish cleaning up here.¡± I lowered my eyebrows and smiled softly. ¡°¡­Sister.¡± Heinrich would normally have said he would stay with me, but now it seemed like he didn¡¯t want to be in the same room with Sislin. Glaring at Sislin in disgust, he said, ¡°You have to come out soon.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Heinrich looked at Sislin and I alternately for a while with a gaze that didn¡¯t want to leave us alone, but he eventually walked out, kicking his tongue. Before long, I was left alone in the same room with Sislin. ¡®It got awkward again.¡¯ Apparently, being alone with Sislin was still nerve-wracking. I carefully arranged the items, feeling a hot gaze that was like it could burn. Clink¡ª The sound of Sislin setting the glass down was particularly loud. To the point that my heart was pounding. ¡®Why should I be so nervous when he¡¯s just putting down a glass¡­?¡¯ In the end, I opened my mouth first. ¡°Are you having fun at the party, Your Highness the Crown Prince?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Sislin¡¯s red eyes were calm as they focused me, and he answered slowly. ¡°Well.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Tuk, he plucked a grape and shoved it into his mouth. White teeth chewing on the flesh and covered with crushed juice were slightly reflected. Swallowing both the flesh and the sweet juice, he said with a smile. ¡°It might be fun.¡± ¡®¡­Why are you reporting me like that?¡¯ ¡®And while eating grapes like that.¡¯ ¡®What the heck are you going to do at the party for it to be fun in the future?¡¯ I was curious. No, actually, I was not curious at all. ¡°I have a question, Annette.¡± ¡°¡­Yes! Ask me, Your Highness the Crown Prince.¡± Sislin looked at me and asked calmly. As though it wasn¡¯t a big deal. ¡°Why are you calling Heinrich like before, while you¡¯re calling me ¡®His Highness the Crown Prince¡¯?¡± ¡°That is, Heinrich¡­¡± ¡®Wait, it feels like I¡¯ve been asked this question before?¡¯ Heinrich asked as well. ¡°¡­He¡¯s comfortable like a younger brother, and he¡¯s also close in heart.¡± ¡°Is he close?¡± Sislin just picked up that word and asked, staring at me silently. For an instant, the red eyes subsided. ¡®¡­Did I say something else wrong, guys?¡¯ I felt it was a little unjust. If I called one of them like how I used to, the other would be jealous of that, and if I was respectful to one of them, the other would be jealous too. ¡®Damn, my shell.¡¯ The ¡®shrimp¡¯ thought. Even if I addressed them the other way around, they would definitely still be jealous of each other. His deep red eyes narrowed dangerously, and he quietly asked. ¡°I guess you call people close to you kindly.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Gulp. I barely let the dry saliva pass. How could I respond so as to not provoke? Right then. The voice of salvation (which almost sounded like an angel¡¯s singing) was heard from outside the kitchen. ¡°Annette! A table ran out of food, could you please take a look?¡± ¡°Oh! yes~¡± I lowered my eyebrows and put on the expression I used before that said ¡®I can¡¯t help it.¡¯ ¡°Then, Your Highness, I will excuse myself.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Sislin smiled and tapped his chin with long fingers. With tenacious eyes asking, ¡®Are you running away again?¡¯ The shrimp who was stung pretended not to see those eyes and went outside. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ The table that lacked food was table. ¡°Oh my, the food was so delicious that I scraped it all off.¡± ¡°It¡¯s seriously the first time I¡¯ve eaten such delicious stew in my life.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s amazing!¡± One member was even licking the plate. ¡®Huh? It¡¯s to that extent?¡¯ Anyway, I was glad they enjoyed it. I replied with a wide smile. ¡°Thank you. You can eat more, shields. There is a lot of food inside!¡± ¡®But what about Kyle?¡¯ As I looked around, I saw Kyle kneeling in front of a small child. He was caring for one of the twins who had fallen, patting the child¡¯s knees. ¡®¡­Ah, my God.¡¯ I had been tormented by Heinrich and Sislin a while ago, and Kyle looked almost like an angel. ¡®Probably the most docile.¡¯ Out of these three. Then, Kyle saw me and waved his hand with a smile. I smiled and waved back. ¡®It¡¯s a bit of a relief.¡¯ The fact that there was at least one ¡®peaceful stag¡¯ in this burning party. My smile grew wider. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ After a while. Someone walked straight to the table where Sislin sat, where no one approached. ¡ªIt was Kyle. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Pretending to have just noticed him, Sislin¡¯s red eyes gazed at him expressionlessly. Kyle treated him with a very noble and respectful attitude. ¡°Your Highness the Crown Prince, this is Marquis Kyle Winston. Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Can I sit down for a moment?¡± Sislin nodded without answering. The blackened red eyes seemed somehow interested. Like watching a mountain beast trying to get into a monster¡¯s mouth. ¡°Marquis Kyle Winston.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Kyle sat facing him. There was no shaking in the eyes like a recording. Even though he was overwhelmingly polite, for some reason, he seemed to be cutting his opponent sharply. On the other hand, Sislin, who was sitting languidly, could not read any emotion. He asked with an expressionless face. ¡°I heard that is officially staying in the capital of El Dorado.¡± ¡°We¡¯re traveling. I¡¯m giving the tired shields a break from 10 years of beast subjugation.¡± ¡°But, you don¡¯t have to.¡± Sislin¡¯s red eyes shot a momentarily digging gaze. ¡°It looks like Bayonaire is a good place for vacation.¡± Sislin, who seemed to have no emotional agitation at all, felt like an iron wall. Kyle¡¯s eyes deepened. ¡ªNevertheless, he was convinced. Judging from the contents of the question, the crown prince suspected that he had a connection with Circe. And that he and were protecting Annette. That false order must have been intentional, what a son of a gun. The reason why he went all the way to the northern snow to find a Griffin, who wasn¡¯t even there. From the leader¡¯s point of view, it felt like a prank. ¡°It¡¯s probably not just Bayonaire, Marquis.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Why do you have to stay here?¡± ¡°Because I fell in love with a certain girl.¡± It was then that the red eyes of Sislin, who had not shown any emotion throughout, hardened. ¡°I couldn¡¯t possibly leave my beloved behind.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The veins of the relaxed Sislin¡¯s neckline crept up. The carnivorous stag smiled refreshingly and threw a taffy into the clearly heated beast¡¯s mouth. ¡°Miss Annette.¡± CH 93 ¡°I heard a dog from far away?!¡± At that moment, a beautiful and cold face appeared next to Kyle, who had made a confession of love and a declaration of war. The purple eyes narrowed. It was Heinrich. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Kyle, the Marquis of Winston.¡± His arrogant, red lips chewed and spit his name out, one syllable by one. ¡°You were rude to me last time, weren¡¯t you? ¡­If you don¡¯t want to die.¡± ¡°I apologize.¡± Kyle immediately bowed his head and apologized. Still, he didn¡¯t look submissive at all. Rather, because of his polite attitude, he seemed more confident and mature. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Heinrich¡¯s eyes rose as if he was full of energy. ¡°You obviously knew I was the Grand Duke of Hyacinth last time. How impertinent.¡± There was no one in El Dorado who did not know Heinrich. The notoriety of this beautiful but bloody ¡®Vivantum¡¯ was quite widespread. All nobles knew Heinrich. Kyle didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of hiding it, he just stared at him. ¡°Look at this.¡± Heinrich¡¯s arrogant face had a slight irritation. ¡®Seeing that kind of behavior, I think it¡¯s okay to exterminate all the marquises in El Dorado?!¡¯ He wanted to make him aware of his place right away, but they were at the party. He knew how hard Annette worked and how much preparation she had put into this party (especially when she made the third giant cake). He didn¡¯t want to mess things up. ¨DInstead, he took a different route. ¡°Look at this, brat.¡± Heinrich pointed to Sislin who was opposite him (Sislin¡¯s face returned to his usual expressionless one, seemingly uninterested in the words and actions of the feral chihuahua and stag). ¡°This is the Crown Prince.¡± Then he pointed to himself. ¡°This is the Grand Duke, the richest man in El Dorado. Besides, I¡¯m also a genius in magic¡­ Even the most handsome of them all.¡± The crown prince was just the crown prince, while he had that many modifiers? ¡ªHe¡¯s quite a funny person. Heinrich then grabbed Kyle and narrowed his eyes. ¡°You are ¡®only¡¯ a flimsy Marquis.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Men are ¡®money and power¡¯. Just by looking at it, you are lacking in many ways?!¡± Kyle, who listened silently, smiled with his characteristic noble attitude, and struck back without any hesitation. ¡°It¡¯s up to Miss Annette, right?¡± What¡¯s with the self-confidence? Even though he ignored the dog, there was no sign of crumpling at all, which made Heinrich even more annoyed. Of course, a marquis was also a high-ranking nobleman, especially the Winston family, who was in charge of subjugating magical beasts. It was even a noble family with more power than most of the grand dukes. However, this attitude did not emerge from the family position. ¡°You really don¡¯t understand¡­¡± Peace of mind subsided coldly. Heinrich brought his face closer to Kyle, licking his red lips in a wicked way. ¡°You¡¯re going to die playing around like that. With your dog-like men.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The unshakable green eyes hardened coolly. It was quite provocative to mention the knights of Winston. To the point of killing. However. ¡°¡­I was so scared.¡± ¡°It was really¡­ scary. I was going to apologize¡­¡± In an instant, he thought of Heinrich, who was over 180cm tall but scrunched himself up and slipped into Annette¡¯s arms, making a ¡®Heuk!¡¯ expression on his face. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡®Let¡¯s put up with that fox. You don¡¯t know what else you¡¯d be framed for.¡¯ If he showed such a rough appearance one more time, Annette might think he was really rude. Kyle stood up, biting his lips gently. ¡°Excuse me.¡± He bowed to Sislin and Heinrich, then left. ¡®What, are you just going?¡¯ As if he was puzzled, Heinrich stared at Kyle¡¯s back, then he said to Sislin, who was still sitting there silently. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you, for sure, I¡¯m going to kill that bastard.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even think about touching.¡± With a brief warning, Heinrich also left the place. As the noisy chattering humans left, Sislin, left alone, quietly raised a glass of wine. It was then. Tuk¡ª Something soft and small came and bumped into him. It was a little girl whom he thought was about three-years-old, with front teeth the size of a grain of rice sticking out. ¡°I¡¯m sworri.¡± The child was light, but the wine had already been spilled on his clothes. He would normally feel the presence and avoid it, but she was so harmless and small that he was not conscious of it. Because he didn¡¯t have to live his life worrying about things like marshmallows rolling on the floor in the wind. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Red eyes stared at the child, without a word. ¡°Ung, latwer¡­¡± The child cried and raised her plump cheek just by receiving his gaze. Tak. Sislin put down his wine glass lightly and said, ¡°Go.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The crying child calmly answered, then taktaktak¡ª she continued walking. Sislin brought his body away from the table, and went inside, unclasping the tiny buttons on his wet top with his oversized hands. ¡®Owin will have an extra shirt.¡¯ ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ As the evening deepened, the party grew even more ripe. The village band had arrived. A large bonfire was lit in the center, and the villagers linked their arms, dancing and drinking wine. The rising smoke spread into the sky along with the pleasant laughter of the people. ¡°Ah¡­ It¡¯s a great night.¡± I smiled broadly and muttered involuntarily as I watched the scene. ¡®What would they have done if I had canceled?¡¯ Everyone was so happy and enjoying themselves. My mood improved as well. Besides, it was obvious that the bakery would prosper even more in the future. The popularity of the cake was contributing to the atmosphere. ¡°Hey~ who wants more cake! There is still a lot left, please take it.¡± The self-employed flamethrower who accepted the crisis as an opportunity was boldly promoting the new cake menu at the crazy people¡¯s hell party. ¡°The cake is so delicious, Annette.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a cake that will be on the new menu from the day after tomorrow! You can eat it again. It will be smaller than this.¡± ¡°For that date, I¡¯ll reserve one of these cakes.¡± ¡°Me too! I¡¯ll make a reservation as well.¡± I smiled proudly and handed out sample cakes to customers. ¡ªWill everything go well like this? A positive mood surged. ¡®From tomorrow onwards, business will be better, and today will pass without a hitch.¡¯ I handed out the sample cakes and glanced over at that table. ¡®Mr. Kyle is the only one there.¡¯ It would have been dizzying just to see the three of them emitting great energy again, but it was a more reassuring sight. ¡®Great.¡¯ Let¡¯s just continue like this. Running away, dodging, and acting sensibly in moderation. ¡®If I¡¯m careful with Sislin¡¯ At the time when I was extremely engrossed in my thoughts. The twins were running around and hit my cake tray. Thanks to them, I was covered in a mess with whipped cream. ¡°Ah, you guys!¡± Belatedly, Aunt Marilyn came rushing in to scold the twins. ¡°Really, why are you causing so much trouble today? Miss Annette, I¡¯m sorry. What should I do? Oh¡­¡± Aunt Marilyn was so apologetic. I lowered my eyebrows and smiled. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. I couldn¡¯t avoid it because I was distracted.¡± ¡®I¡¯ll have to change my clothes though.¡¯ I put down the cake tray and went into the house. The first floor was the hall with the kitchen and food. Avoiding the crowd, I went up to the second floor, and soon reached the third floor, which had been made into a resting room. ¡°Whew¡­¡± I walked cautiously along the dark hallway. There might be people in the break room, so I should go into a small, unused room. Eventually, I arrived at the smallest room at the end of the hallway. I carefully opened the door and entered. And¡­ ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Literally, completely frozen. Because there was already a man changing clothes inside. Tuk, tuk. He tugged the buttons with his large hand, pulling the shirt back, revealing his muscular, beastly back. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¨DIt was a body that gave a sensational feeling. In particular, to me, it felt that way. The bright red eyes flashed. It was the first male body I had ever seen in my life, and it was so different from my own soft, delicate body. That heterogeneous gap moved my heart with a strange pounding. He took off the dirty and wrinkled clothes, tossing it to one side like trash, and picked up a new shirt. Then he whispered quietly. ¡°What are you doing.¡± I was startled, as if pricked by a needle. ¡°Standing there.¡± He draped the shirt over his tight shoulders as he turned to the girl who was completely frozen, and narrowed his dark eyes. The girl was barely standing there, cutely trembling. ¡°Oh, well, I-I¡¯m going out¡­¡± Thud thud. He walked slowly towards me. My eyes widened. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡®I have to run away right now.¡¯ Instinctively sensing danger, I grabbed the doorknob and opened the door. But he was much faster. He clasped the small, fragile hand that gripped the doorknob like it was swallowed by a large hand akin to a beast¡¯s. Then, with both hands together¡­ Thud! The door closed. My heart dropped to the floor. Her heat felt suffocatingly hot from the huge hands and body that wrapped around her perfectly. Sislin looked down at the girl. Then he licked his lips, and spoke in a gentle tone. ¡°Finally¡ª¡± His red eyes deepened as if engulfing me. ¡°You are trapped.¡± I felt strangled by that terribly low voice. CH 94 ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°Are you crazy?¡± The thin eyes under the hair that was as black as a crow curled gently. The feathers that sprouted from the earlobe, evidence of the ¡®Requilus tribe¡¯, were turning red. It was proof that this man was quite, no, very angry. ¡°You should bring some useful information rather than nonsense like that.¡± ¡°¡­I am ashamed.¡± ¡°My master has almost run out of patience.¡± Gerard¡¯s lieutenant, Avilus Theses, recently received orders from Gerard and thus, he released his men. ¡°Find out where the Crown Prince has gone now. As long as he is a human, he will leave traces. Be sure to find it.¡± Gerard ordered not only to dig up the trail of the crown prince, but also Grand Duke Hyacinth¡¯s. ¡°Follow them like dogs.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Until the bitch comes out.¡± However, after a few days, his subordinates only uttered disappointment. The man in front of him, too, had feathers, and was of the same Requilus tribe. He bowed his head deeply as if he had no face. (TL/N: too ashamed to meet his face.) ¡°I¡¯m sorry. But the Crown Prince is not a human being. There really wasn¡¯t a single trace.¡± ¡°¡­The Crown Prince must be in the Fris Empire, but there is not a single trace of the him on that piece of land that¡¯s like the size of the palm of his hand?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The subordinate in front of him was quite capable. So far, Avilus Theses had found everything he wanted. ¨DBut this time, only the same words were repeated. Disappointingly. ¡°Then what about Grand Duke Hyacinth?¡± ¡°¡­He¡¯s a man who uses magic to erase his traces. I can¡¯t believe it¡­ Ugh!¡± Grrr, unable to bear it any longer, Avilus grabbed his arm roughly. His eyes widened, revealing blue-green eyes. ¡ªHis pupils were vertically long. Those creepy, reptile-like eyes glared at the man as if he was going to eat him alive. ¡°I told you, his patience is ¡®almost¡¯ exhausted.¡± The subordinate¡¯s eyes trembled. ¡°I will keep that in mind. Next time, for sure!¡± ¡°Next?¡± Avilus¡¯ lips rose coldly. That moment. ¡°¡­Argh!¡± The subordinate screamed in pain and struggled. The man¡¯s essence was sucked into Avilus. As if all the moisture had drained from his body in an instant, all that was left of his skin fell to the floor. ¡°¡­It is my master who has ¡®almost¡¯ run out of patience.¡± The body was silent. ¡°I¡¯ve been out of it for a long time.¡± Avilos looked at the skin on the floor and tapped his chin. ¡®Otherwise, I will end up like this.¡¯ Gerard probably wouldn¡¯t even give him the fortune to be put to sleep so quickly. ¡®Should I ask the master for forgiveness and go directly to the Fris Empire to search through it all?¡¯ In fact, he had already been there once, but he had no results either. Besides, he had already scoured the entire continent with his mighty manpower. ¡°Shit.¡± It was then that he spat out curses. Tok tok¡ª A knock sounded at the door. ¡°Come in.¡± As soon as another subordinate came in, he was surprised to see the corpse, but as if he was used to it, he ignored it and held out a letter. ¡°There was a child who asked me to deliver this letter.¡± ¡°A beggar?¡± How dare you, to Prince Gerard¡¯s closest aide? He must have bought a beggar on the street. To leave no traces. ¡ªHe¡¯s a meticulous person. It was a suspicious letter without any emblem or sender written on it. It was not the material of the expensive paper used by the nobles. ¡®It looks like it was sent by a commoner or a back alley wrangler.¡¯ Avilus thought and opened the note. Kriish. Inside, there was a message that would completely save him. ¡¸I know the location of Annette. I¡¯d like to meet with Prince Gerard.¡¹ ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Avilus¡¯ eyes widened. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ Behind me was a door that was no different than a wall, and in front of me was Sislin. My eyes widened nervously, as if caught in a trap. I absolutely couldn¡¯t raise my head. ¡®Our bodies are too close.¡¯ The gap between the two of us was narrow enough to hear the beating of a pounding heart. I could feel an unfamiliar gaze from above. ¡°Why do you keep avoiding me?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± He lowered his broad shoulders and tilted his head, followed my gaze and with persistence, made eye contact. Those tenacious red eyes locked on and wouldn¡¯t let go. ¡°If you¡¯re trying to tease me, it¡¯s very successful.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I then looked up at him. As much as possible, trying not to look at the body wearing a loose fitting shirt. ¡°¡­I did not avoid you, Your Highness the Crown Prince. You must have misunderstood something.¡± ¡°A misunderstanding.¡± ¡°Yes. I just thought there would be no one, but there was someone, so I was a little embarrassed.¡± I saw a huge back out of the blue. That would surprise anyone who saw it. ¡°Misunderstanding¡­¡± Sislin, who saw me run away twice today, smiled and smoothed his chin. ¡®Please just let it slide, Sislin.¡¯ ¡°I believe you, so don¡¯t leave this room. Until I¡¯m done changing.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡®I¡¯m screwed.¡¯ But I smiled nonchalantly. Feeling embarrassment and running away; these would make him more inclined to have it in the palm of his hand and get excited. ¨DThese were words from the original work. ¡°Okay.¡± I smiled gently and replied softly. If I get out of this embrace, I just have to pretend and get to leave later . Only then did he walk away from me. ¡°If you run away again, I¡¯ll think you are avoiding me, and I¡¯ll take you to the Imperial Palace and keep you in my room.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± I met red eyes that bore a strange smile. ¡°What happens if you go to my house¡­ Remember?¡± In an instant, I remembered the voice of Sislin that had whispered in my ear in the carriage. That tickling, playful whisper. ¡°I may not even give you clothes.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± ¡®Crazy.¡¯ My face reddened. Then, seeing the reaction, he chuckled softly. ¡®You made fun of me on purpose.¡¯ ¡®That¡¯s really bad taste, Sislin.¡¯ I narrowed my eyes as if glaring at him slightly. ¡°Oh.¡± His lips twisted violently with a hint of joy. ¡°I¡¯m being hated again.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Sislin slid the shirt loosely over his wide shoulders and looked at me as he fastened the buttons on his wrists. Even though we were together in this small space, he never took his eyes off me for a moment. ¡ªA little bit, I¡¯m a little out of breath. I deliberately tried to keep my eyes on the things around me. The table, the empty vase on it, the sofa and the bed. For some reason, I didn¡¯t think the bed and Sislin should be together¡­ For some reason, that furniture and that man seemed to be a dangerous combination. In the end, I couldn¡¯t overcome the silence, and this time too, I spoke first. ¡°But I have a question.¡± It was only natural to lose all the time in the fight ¡®to keep quiet¡¯ with that madman. ¡®You look so happy just looking at me, Sislin.¡¯ ¡°Ask me anything.¡± ¡°Did you come to Bayonaire just to find me?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Perhaps. It seemed like that. But if he came to take me¡­ and now that he couldn¡¯t take me? He couldn¡¯t stay here indefinitely without any purpose. ¡®Anyway, Sislin is the Crown Prince of El Dorado.¡¯ ¡ªBut. A rather unexpected answer came. ¡°I didn¡¯t just come to find you. I didn¡¯t just come to pick you up.¡± ¡°¡­Then?¡± The tired red eyes, whose inner thoughts were unknown, slowly narrowed in their view and laughed. ¡°Well.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°After the party today, I¡¯ll tell you where you¡¯re going with me tomorrow.¡± ¡­I wanted to ignore it. But I was very curious. He said he wanted to take me and lock me up. Wasn¡¯t that the end? ¡°You breathe by my side, laugh only by me, cry only by my side¡­ You will eventually die by my side.¡± As far as saying that. But there was another reason? When I was in agony, Sislin asked in a subtle voice. ¡°Do you want to go with me?¡± ¡ªCan I go. ¡®No matter how much I liked Sislin, I have no idea now. What kind of unexpected action he will take.¡¯ At that moment, a handsome, huge, beast-like man slowly turned towards me. He whispered in a voice sweet and seductive, like drugged hallucinogenic candy. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± His red eyes were tenacious yet gentle. ¡°Together.¡± It was a whisper that was difficult to refuse. ¡®¡­Anyway, if there is a purpose, he¡¯ll definitely reveal it.¡¯ This was not an avoidable problem. Above all, I was curious. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± When I allowed it, Sislin smiled just like a boy. Like the boy I liked. ¡®¡­I guess my Sisl wasn¡¯t completely gone.¡¯ I was lost in that smile, and belatedly, I brought my gaze to his chest. ¨DSince the previous encounter, there was a wound that caught my attention. The sharp scar across his muscular chest didn¡¯t look like it was made by a sharp sword. It was a scar that looked like it had been bluntly torn by something, and must have been really painful at the time it was created. ¡°¡­What is that scar?¡± He didn¡¯t fasten the button. He replied, ¡°A wound from Crevasse.¡± ¡°Crevasse?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Crevasse, I knew that place. I heard about it in class in the Forest, but¡­ Rather, I read about it in the original. There was only one scene that described the inside. A hell filled with that terrible pain. What happened there, and how people collapsed and died. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡®To such a place, Sisl went there?¡¯ Suddenly, my eyes became dark and my heart felt like it was crushed. I suddenly wanted to ask him how he had been living. ¡®¡­Why did you go to such a place?¡¯ ¡®Even after going through such a terrible thing, how can you smile like you used to?¡¯ ¡®Sislin¡­¡¯ I thought he was only living happily, but I guess I didn¡¯t know too much. ¡®The wounds from Crevasse¡­¡¯ When it comes to reality, it completely disappears. Like a mythical story where you get punished again even after being eaten by birds all night. However, there was only one case where the wound remained on the body. In a trembling voice, I asked, ¡°¡­Why did you hurt yourself like that?¡± Why¡­ why. I couldn¡¯t believe it. In front of the girl, who was shaking from the pain in her heart, Sislin exhaled softly like a deep river. ¡°I was going to die. Because it hurts.¡± There were moments where he would rather dig his heart out. It wasn¡¯t because of the physical pain Crevasse gave him. From the moment he lost her, there was only one great pain that haunted him all along. ¡ªLosing Annette. The moment when he despaired that he would never see her again. ¡°Annette.¡± He couldn¡¯t even die because he wanted to see her again. ¡°Don¡¯t make that face.¡± Sislin¡¯s hot hand caressed Annette¡¯s cheek. The expression on her face was as if it was her chest that had been torn instead. He, who would rather take out his heart and die, longed for her so deeply that he endured the longing and survived, and eventually tied his heart to her. ¡ªSo that she couldn¡¯t leave forever. ¡°If you make a face like that, I¡¯ll go crazy for you even more.¡± CH 95 ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ Heinrich muttered softly. ¡°It bothers me¡± In the party hall with a more mellow atmosphere, he was alone, holding his chin as always. Then he lowered his long eyelashes, and was lost in thought. He was just in deep thought, and the women around him (there were definitely also some men) muttered at the beautiful, sweat-soaked face. Beside him, a lively woman spit out a little, but blatant exclamation (she was almost ready to give a standing ovation). Either way, Annette¡¯s voice was the only thing in Heinrich¡¯s head. ¡°Heinrich is¡­ my ¡®brother¡¯!¡± He was just her brother. His eyes sank coldly, and his eyebrows narrowed gracefully. ¡°My baby. Cute Heinri.¡± ¡®Annette, how I¡¯ve been living my life¡­¡­ You don¡¯t know how I¡¯ve climbed this far.¡¯ It was good that she was careless towards him, but it was difficult for the relationship to become solid like this. Especially on a day like today. Heinrich had a ¡®special plan¡¯ for her today. It was perfect timing for her, who especially liked a ¡®happy ending¡¯. Everyone was smiling, now was the time. Although Heinrich was indifferent to other people¡¯s feelings, he always made his decisions with sensitivity and consideration towards Annette. That habit had not changed at all, even after 10 years had passed. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Heinrich looked at the members of , who were naturally mixed with other people. And Kyle Winston, who sits loftily next to a subordinate, with an innocent face that dazzlingly deceived Annette (in Heinrich¡¯s point of view, a hypocrite). ¡°It¡¯s up to Miss Annette, right?¡± Yes, it¡¯s Annette¡¯s choice anyway. But there was one thing that stupid marquis didn¡¯t know. She had never, ever¡­ ¡­There was never a time when she didn¡¯t choose Heinrich as her top priority. ¡®She always told me that I was her favorite. Me.¡¯ ¡°Sister, why are you being so nice to me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because I love you, Heinrich. I like you the best in the world!¡± While Heinrich hated everything in the world. except for only one. Annette. She was the only one he loved. To be chosen by her, he could do anything. It was something that smug marquis could never do. Heinrich got up quietly from the table and entered the log cabin. The people inside the first floor had all gone out to the garden like the low tide. Heinrich took a purple card and pen out and wrote a brief message. ¡ªTo be seen only by Annette. Soon he kissed the letter lightly. His eyes were gently curved. ¡°See you later, Sister.¡± ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡¸I know the location of Annette. I¡¯d like to meet with Prince Gerard.¡¹ Gerard stared suspiciously at the letter he had received from Avilus. This was the first letter he received. There were other letters afterward. Those letters announced the time and place. The other side wanted to see Gerard in a forest where there was no one around, in a very deep valley. Additionally, on such a dark evening with no lights. Perhaps if he wasn¡¯t strong enough, and if his obsession with Annette was a little lesser¡­ ¡­He would never have accepted it. To commit the rudeness of calling the prince of the country into such a dirty forest. The other party also demanded that there be no ¡®escort¡¯ in particular. Place, time, condition. Taking them all into account, two conclusions could be drawn. First, someone dared to try to assassinate Gerard. Second, someone who must completely hide their identity was trying to give information. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± This was a deep forest road that was difficult for even a carriage to enter, so Gerard was walking. Every time he walked, trampling on dry grass, a faint smell of water rose up. Avilus, who quietly followed Gerard, stepped forward. ¡°Prince, I¡¯m suspicious. He knows where the girl is.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s something we couldn¡¯t figure out even after 10 years of tracking, yet the person who knows is someone who doesn¡¯t even have the money to buy high-quality paper.¡± At first, Avilus thought it was just a message to save him, but the more he thought about it, the more strange it became. ¡°It¡¯s someone who can¡¯t even reveal his identity.¡± Besides, he was calling his master to a suspicious place. Gerard looked at his aide with an expressionless face. ¡°Avilus.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°From here on, I will go alone. You wait here.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Avilus¡¯ thin eyes rose in bewilderment. ¡°But, Prince.¡± Gerard¡¯s rosy eyes gleamed in the darkness. Like a poisonous snake before snatching its prey. ¡°I need that girl. I feel like I want to search through the pits of hell. A speck of possibility, even a tiny bit of hope.¡± It was human eyes mad with obsession and thirst. It was the eyes of a hungry beast that would lick and devour even the smallest debris that fell to the ground. ¡°Even if it¡¯s very trivial, if it¡¯s brought to my eyes, I should give it a chance.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡®No matter what I say, my master won¡¯t hear it.¡¯ After Annette fled, the feelings and aspirations that had accumulated little by little every year for over ten years were now turning into madness. ¡®What the hell is that girl for him to be like this¡­¡¯ These days, Avilus found Gerard unfamiliar. Avilos quickly adjusted his expression, stepped back, and bowed his head. ¡°Please go. I will be waiting here as you have ordered.¡± Avilus continued. ¡°I hope that person has the answer you are looking for. But if not, he¡¯s a street scoundrel or a vulgar guy looking for money and bounties.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Call me anytime if you need ¡®cleaning up¡¯.¡± If it was false information, it would require a certain ¡®post-processing¡¯ as the cost of deception. It was too trivial for Gerard to do it himself. Avilus stopped there like a stone statue. Gerard left his men behind and went deep into the forest. After passing through the thick trees a few times, he soon came to the ¡®appointed place¡¯. He pulled out a cigarette and bit it. Then he lit a fire and deeply inhaled. By the time a hazy smoke flew up, about a third of the cigarette was burned by crimson fire. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± There was a sound in the dark forest. Gerard¡¯s fierce gaze turned towards it. A dark silhouette approached the prince without hesitation. Soon, when that face was reflected in the moonlight. Gerard distorted his brows. ¡°You¡­!¡± Contrary to all expectations, a ridiculous human appeared. It was a familiar figure to Gerard. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ I stared at Sislin¡¯s scar. Initially, I thought it was a scar from being badly wounded in a war. But it was a scar that was created in an unexpected place and in an unexpected way. ¨DHow he lived his life, that scar seemed to reveal it instead. A life that seemed far from happiness or a happy ending. Annette was heartbroken. ¡®Sislin, I only asked for one thing¡­¡¯ ¡®¡­When I left you.¡¯ ¡°Don¡¯t get sick, don¡¯t cry, and be happy all the time.¡± But it must have been too difficult for Sislin. For a little boy who lived in a dark cave with a set of misfortunes in his life. ¡°It must be painful, Sisl¡­¡± I raised my little hand and placed it on the scar on his hard chest. Then I touched it very carefully. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Sislin had a sharp intake of breath. The place I touched shook violently once, even his ribs. I muttered, upset. ¡°It must have been difficult¡­¡± At that moment, Sislin lowered his head and quickly shook it. Near my sensitive ears. ¡°I can¡¯t stand it anymore.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Oops. When I took my hand away in surprise, startled, Sislin drew nearer. Thud, thud. Pushed by him, I stepped backwards without realizing it, over and over again; I was driven into a corner. ¡ªI can¡¯t even run away. He grinned and smiled handsomely. It was a charming yet boyish smile. ¡°You got cream on you.¡± ¡°What?¡± Embarrassed, I groped my cheeks. ¡°Where?¡± Then my field of vision swung once. The sofa got caught behind my knee. The moment I sat on the sofa, a red light flashed in my head. Sislin¡¯s gigantic body draped over mine. The sofa, which did not move much when I landed, was hollowed out to the point of pressure when he put one knee on it. He whispered huskily. ¡°Here.¡± Sislin slowly lowered his eyes, and he licked the cream off my fingers. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Astonished, I pressed my hands against his chest. A powerful and violent pulsation felt hot against my fingertips. ¡°And¡­¡± The tenacious, red eyes stared at trembling green eyes, then moved slowly to place their gaze on the lips. His lips rose in an arc. ¡°There¡¯s something here, too.¡± CH 96 ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± I raised my hand and covered my lips. And he whispered softly in reply. ¡°¡­I¡¯m not.¡± Slowly, Sislin¡¯s red eyes widened. Then, he revealed his white teeth and bit my slender fingers. ¡°¡­Ah!¡± I stood up in surprise, pushed his hard shoulders with my hands (it did not go very well). I calmed my startled stomach and straightened my expression. Then I said hastily. ¡°¡­Your Highness the Crown Prince. It looks like you¡¯ve finished changing, so let¡¯s go out.¡± Sislin was only trying to devour me the moment he saw an opportunity. For a moment, I almost lost my bearings and was swayed. ¡ªIt was dangerous. This couldn¡¯t happen. Hastily changing my attitude from ¡®Sisl¡¯ to ¡®Your Highness¡¯, I quickly greeted him and went out. I tried to ignore the soft laughter coming from behind. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°Annette, why did it take you so long to change?¡± When I came out, I met Aunt Marilyn¡¯s puzzled face. ¡°What were you doing inside?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Wait.¡± I smiled awkwardly. ¡°I¡¯m just cleaning up a bit. There aren¡¯t any problems, are there?¡± ¡°Everyone is eating and drinking happily. All thanks to Annette.¡± It really was. Now people were getting very drunk, and the laughter grew louder and louder. It was a delightful sight to behold. ¡®The shields are enjoying themselves surprisingly well.¡¯ I thought they wouldn¡¯t get along well with the villagers since they¡¯ve never met each other before. However, everyone was hanging out as if they were all originaIly villagers. At that time, Mr. Chubby Shield called me. ¡°Miss Annette!¡± I smiled and walked towards him. This table was completely filled with alcohol; there was a huge amount of empty rum bottles piled up. ¡°The party is so much fun! There¡¯s so much meat and alcohol.¡± ¡°I especially like that there¡¯s all kinds of alcohol.¡± ¡°Drinking is the best part of parties!¡± Curving my eyes, I said, ¡°The villagers each gave a little. Just like that, all kinds of alcohol were gathered.¡± ¡­Did I collect too much? Somehow, they all seemed to be on the verge of a high state of mind. In particular, Mr. Shield, the one who had one-eye, was showing off his glass eyeballs. Seeing everyone applauding, it was clear that they were all wasted.. Ugh, just looking at them made me feel drunk. I, too, felt intoxicated like a person who emptied two bottles of rum. Caught up in the excitement, I faced them and clapped. However, when I looked around, I didn¡¯t see a particular person. I asked one of the Shields that seemed to be somewhat sane. ¡°Hey, what about Marquis Winston?¡± ¡°He¡¯s gone. He went off too quickly.¡± Where the hell did he go¡­? When my eyes widened in confusion, the Mr. Shield next to me added a supplementary explanation. ¡°Our leader really can¡¯t drink, but the villagers recommended it¡­¡± This Mr. Shield, who looked a little ferocious but seemed to have a kind heart, whispered in a hush. ¡°Our leader really can¡¯t drink, but he¡¯s always confident saying, ¡®I think I can drink this much?¡¯¡± ¡ªSo how much was it? ¡°Now he is drunk and gone.¡± ¡°How much did he drink?¡± ¡°Two sips.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡®¡­I¡¯m sorry, but I think even squirrels can drink that much and be okay, right?¡¯ ¡®Not two cups or bottles, but two sips?¡¯ I calmly asked the whereabouts of the drunk stag. ¡°Where does he usually go when he¡¯s drunk?¡± ¡°Well, he will go to a quiet place and be alone.¡± ¡°If he¡¯s drunk, will he suddenly spread roses and hit someone¡­¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± The Shield shrugged and laughed. ¡°Although he is weak to alcohol, he is not a bad drunk. When one drinks, one¡¯s true nature comes out, right?¡± ¡®Does that mean that nature is not bad?¡¯ Seeing a colleague say something like that, he must have been a good stag (although a crazy carnivorous stag sometimes popped out). ¡°Thank you for letting me know.¡± I said goodbye and walked around the garden looking for Mr. Kyle, who must be drunk somewhere. ¡®I have to take care of those in my place.¡¯ I felt like I went back to my childhood. The squirrel masked boy sometimes hid in a quiet place, and I often looked for him. ¡®Ah, the garden is noisy, so of course he won¡¯t be here. I¡¯ll have to look for him inside.¡¯ As I entered the empty kitchen on the first floor, I saw the back of a man with wheat-coloured hair sitting by the very corner of a small table. He was sitting quietly and doing something. ¡®What are you doing?¡¯ Tak tak tak, walking with a cat¡¯s steps, sneaking over. He¡¯s¡­ ¡°¡­¡­.¡± With his white cheeks puffed up, he was picking up egg tarts one by one with his long fingers and building a tower. ¡°Pfft.¡± Unknowingly, I burst into laughter. ¡®That¡¯s cute.¡¯ At the sound of my laughter, Kyle looked at me. ¡°¡­Owner.¡± He smiled softly like a puppy waiting for its master, and his Indian dimple appeared charmingly. ¡®Oh, my God, a handsome man is cute even when he¡¯s drunk?¡¯ I sat across from him. ¡°Kyle, why are you stacking egg tarts?¡± ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡± Again, I burst out laughing. It was refreshing to see Kyle, who was always noble, polite, and docile, acting like this. Kyle rested his chin on a large hand, and dozed off a little. At that time, his long eyelashes stood out. ¡®Why are they so long?¡¯ ¡ªLike a real stag. Now that I looked at it, the corners of his lips were raised very nicely, weren¡¯t they? Even if he didn¡¯t smile, the corners of his lips were up. ¡®How surprising.¡¯ Normally, I would not have been able to observe this in detail, but the drunk stag was really defenseless. ¡°Owner¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I really, a lot¡­ I like you.¡± It was a confession, made while almost falling asleep. Without realizing it, a smile spread across my face. It was pure and cute. Hair resembling the soft autumn sunlight flowed down over his deep-set eyes, and the fine tip of his nose was pointing downwards. With a flushed face, he licked his pouty lips. ¡°I¡¯m not good enough, but¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°My love for you¡­ It¡¯s this high.¡± When he said ¡®this high¡¯, he gestured to the egg tart tower. ¡°Pfft.¡± I shifted my hands a little, covered my mouth and smiled. I was afraid I would wake him up if I laughed out loud. ¡®Thank you so much.¡¯ ¡®For loving me as much as the height of the egg tart tower.¡¯ I replied with a smile. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Kyle? Nothing is lacking.¡± ¡°No. Not enough¡­¡± The flush reached his ears and the pale nape of his neck; he mumbled and whispered, ¡°So pretty¡­ If I look¡­ I¡¯m nervous.¡± The voice soon faded. So, it was almost impossible to hear him saying, ¡°I become an idiot.¡± I smiled softly and looked at him. The strength in his hand, on which his chin was resting, left. And he quickly fell on his face with his folded arms on the table as a pillow. I was afraid that he would be uncomfortable, so I removed the egg tart plate slightly, and he mumbled, ¡°Ummm¡­¡± Then he groaned slightly and grabbed my hand. His big hand held only my thumb. Carefully. I stared at his sleeping face. The hubbub outside was far away, and it was sort of pleasant to listen to his steady breathing. The smell of alcohol was also cute. ¡°I should film this on a video stone¡­¡± ¡®Then it¡¯ll be a lifelong dark history (though cute) for the rest of your life, and you¡¯ll threaten for it to be undone, Kyle.¡¯ ¡®You can¡¯t drink. The bad girls will catch you, innocent stag.¡¯ I carefully pulled my thumb out of his hand. He seemed completely asleep; though he shifted his head, there was no sign of him rousing. Soon, the words ¡®Bad fox¡­ unfair¡­¡¯ leaked out (I don¡¯t know what that means), but it¡¯s been quiet since then. (TL/N: guess the chihuahua gained another animal nickname lol) I cautiously got up. Then I took a warm blanket and put it over his shoulders. ¡®One fell asleep.¡¯ Since he was in pure stag mode, he wouldn¡¯t fight. ¡®The dangerous crown prince is in the room, and where did our Heinri go?¡¯ Looking out the window, the party atmosphere was almost at its end. I poked my head out of the window and looked for Heinrich, but then saw a light twinkling in the corner of the kitchen. ¡°Uh¡­?¡± It was like the light of a little fairy. As I approached it, a rather strange sight was unfolding. It was definitely a pot of white flowers that I was growing, but a small letter was stuck in a flower and it was swaying from side to side. Here it is, look at this! ¡ªLike that. ¡°What¡¯s this¡­?¡± I laughed involuntarily. It kind of feels like Heinrich. Because the only person who could do such a strange thing was my cute Heinrich. I cautiously reached out and took the letter (when I pulled it out, the flower miraculously disappeared). It was a pretty purple card. I glanced around and carefully opened the card. ¡¸Sister, come to my side. There is something I want to do together. IMPORTANT: Come alone secretly.¡¹ ¡°The important part is pretty cute?¡± But it didn¡¯t say where to go, right? The moment I tilted my head, the purple card instantly turned into a small butterfly and flew, flutter flutter. ¡°Wow!¡± The butterfly, scattering light, went around in front of me as if telling me to follow it. As Heinrich had asked, I began to follow the butterfly, without both Sislin and the sleeping Kyle. The butterfly adjusted to my pace, going neither fast nor slow. I left the bakery and diligently crossed the hill. And¡­ ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Finally, seeing Heinrich, my eyes widened. ¡ªWas this possible? CH 97 ¡®Winter¡¯ had arrived on the hill where Heinrich stood. The grass was now a white snow field, and the green trees were covered with white. A lot of beautiful snowflakes fell. The wind was gentle, but the falling snow was real. It was a mythical landscape that went against nature. ¡ªI couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡®¡­Wow, it¡¯s so pretty and amazing.¡¯ The moment I witnessed the great magic that changed the seasons, a great emotion arose in my heart. Heinrich stood clearly in the unrealistic landscape. Silver hair shining coldly against the white snow, and mysterious amethyst eyes beneath it. His closed red lips were as beautiful as an arrogant nobleman who would never fall. ¡®You are so handsome that I am amazed again.¡¯ It was like a delicate glass flower blooming in the snow. ¡°Sister, you¡¯re here?¡± Heinrich smiled without reserve. It was a clear and beautiful smile that only he could show. ¡°Yes¡­ What is all this?¡± ¡°Come on.¡± Heinrich grabbed my hand tightly. We stepped on a soft snowy field and went under a beautiful tree, where there was a fairly unique set of a ¡®winter picnic¡¯. A lace rattan basket decorated with flowers, cute cups on a wooden tray, and a cozy blanket with an adorable pattern (it was small for two people). There was a colorful wreath made of pretty flowers on a small chair that doubled as a table. ¡®This¡­ I¡¯m touched.¡¯ ¡°Heinri¡­ When did you prepare all this?¡± ¡°I want to have a party where it¡¯s just the two of us. There are too many disturbances out there, it¡¯s annoying.¡± I burst into a small laugh as he let out a grunt while shaking his head as if he was sick of it. To have a picnic in the winter like this, it was unexpected. ¡°Thank you, Heinrich!¡± Impressed by the sincerity, I quickly sat down on the mat next to Heinrich. The floor was warm, and next to it was a portable stove burning like a bonfire. ¡°Come on, Sister.¡± Heinrich poured cocoa into a mug. Marshmallows were floating on it. ¡°Thank you.¡± When I took a sip of cocoa, sweetness and tiredness flooded me at the same time. ¡®Oh, it¡¯s really nice.¡¯ We covered ourselves with the warm blanket and watched the peaceful snowfall. ¡®I think I¡¯m going to live. I¡¯ve been tormented by three crazy guys all evening.¡¯ ¡®Whew, it¡¯s like a break now?¡¯ Heinrich must have prepared it on purpose. ¡®He knew I¡¯d be tired.¡¯ ¡®He¡¯s so delicate.¡¯ Heinrich didn¡¯t seem to have any interest in other people, but the consideration he sometimes showed me was surprisingly appropriate. I smiled at Heinrich, and he came closer to me with the blanket over him. Then he whispered in my ear. ¡°Even if we do something naughty here, no one will see.¡± ¡°¡­Heinrich!¡± As I tried to get out of the blanket, Heinrich giggled, then laughed and wrapped me in the blanket. Thanks to this, with the exception of my face, I was trapped in the blanket, wrapped up like a dumpling. ¡°I¡¯ll give you all my marshmallows.¡± ¡°What the¡­¡± Heinrich, who acted like a wolf (or possibly a fox) earlier and suddenly became a version of ¡®my baby¡¯ again, brought marshmallows to my cup. I melted the fluffy marshmallows to the fullest and drank. Snow was still falling beautifully in the sky. Just as if we moved a block of winter to where we are. ¡°Heinrich, do you remember?¡± ¡°What.¡± ¡°It was before. Before I left the forest¡­ We were supposed to go to the winter forest together on your birthday.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± A few days before leaving the forest, I made an appointment with Heinrich. ¡°Sister.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go out to the winter forest on my birthday, light a warm bonfire and drink cocoa.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll cover ourselves with a blanket, and watch it snow all day long.¡± There was that promise, always stinging like a thorn stuck in the side of my heart. When winter comes, it¡¯s Heinrich¡¯s birthday. Year after year, over and over again, I kept reminding myself of that promise. I was worried Heinrich would be upset on his birthday. ¡°But I¡¯m glad it¡¯s here now. Right?¡± It was when I suddenly asked and looked to the side. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± With trembling purple eyes lowered, Heinrich had a face that seemed like he was about to cry. ¡°You remembered.¡± He said, barely breathing. ¡°I didn¡¯t forget, and Sister remembered¡­¡± That voice sounded somewhat pained. ¡­Very much. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ After Annette left. Heinrich was completely back to the way he used to be. No, he became even more sharp and prickly, a lone boy who put up a wall towards everyone. He was much worse than before. At least he didn¡¯t do anything self-destructive before. He went through days when he couldn¡¯t eat, sleep, or even breathe properly; the boy was ruined. ¡°Why did you make me love you?¡± He felt like he had returned to the time he was abandoned by his father and when his mother had left him. He solidified the rule that if he liked someone, that person would always throw him away. Annette left him like an unbelievable lie. ¡°If you¡¯re going to leave, don¡¯t be nice to me in the first place¡­¡± ¡®Now you made it impossible.¡¯ ¡®You taught me what warmth is.¡¯ He resented her for leaving like this, after teaching him what love was. ¨DThe light was even more dazzling because it was brief. While darkness was terribly deep. ¡°Annette¡­¡± ¡®My light, my world, my soul.¡¯ ¡®It felt like an absurd mistake to dare to lose you.¡¯ Even breathing itself was sinful. ¡°It would be better to let him be adopted by Marquis Hyacinth as soon as possible. If he stays like that any longer, Heinrich will be ruined forever.¡± It was for this reason that the adoption process was swiftly completed for the marquis, who had just announced his intention to adopt. Even after becoming ¡®Heinrich Hyacinth¡¯, the boy hardly improved. The symptoms got worse in the winter, and when it came to his birthday, he blankly stood in the ¡®winter forest¡¯ he had promised to go to with Annette all day from dawn. Maybe she would come. But the promise was never kept. ¡ªActually he knew. That she was not coming. But if he didn¡¯t do this, he felt like he was losing her forever¡­ If he alone did not keep the promise they made together¡­ ¡®I¡¯m afraid ¡®we¡¯ are disappearing.¡¯ ¡°Heinrich! t¡¯s cold, but you¡¯re wearing such a thin outfit all day long¡­!¡± By the time Duncan ran to take care of Heinrich, his body was already cold as a corpse. It was the same year after year. The longing deepened like a disease. Every day he breathed, he went crazy. In the end, after careful research, Heinrich devised a way to make ¡®Annette¡¯. Since then, he came all the way here, focusing solely on research. Exclusively¡­ With the determination to get her back. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°¡­Of course I remember. Every winter, on your birthday, I think of you.¡± ¡®I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t keep my promise.¡¯ I gently stroked Heinrich¡¯s hair. ¡®Don¡¯t look so sad, Heinri. ¡®Cause when you¡¯re sick, my heart hurts more.¡¯ Heinrich then looked at me and smiled. ¡°Sister, even before I came to Bayonaire, I had something to say to you.¡± ¡°What is that?¡± Heinrich smiled delicately with his charming face, and placed the pretty wreath that was on the chair over my head. Then he sat me in the chair. Heinrich sat affectionately in front of me, raised his head quietly, and said, ¡°Sister, you used to only read fairy tale books with happy endings to me.¡± ¡°Right. Because I wanted you to be happy.¡± After hearing the happy stories of the main characters, I really hoped that you would be like that in the future. ¡®¡­I lived only for your happiness.¡¯ Back then, that was my life. Heinrich briefly glanced at the girl¡¯s eyes where a lot of emotions were passing, then answered quietly. ¡°My happiness has always been you, Annette.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The purple eyes that embraced me darkened like the full moon. ¡°My world is always complete with you.¡± Heinrich slowly went down on one knee in front of me. A mystical hill with a lot of snow. A magical moment that went against nature. In front of the woman wearing a pretty wreath, the man slowly pulled out something. It was a ring case. Click¡ª The ring Heinrich had prepared shone with a deep, calming purple color. As if it was made by breaking a corner of the quiet dawn of one winter. ¡°Annette.¡± My heart, foreshadowing something, began to race. ¡°Will you marry me?¡± Boom, my heart dropped to the floor. I was surprised for a moment and didn¡¯t reply. ¡ªBecause this was something I never imagined. Of course, from a very young age, Heinrich had envisioned today. ¡°I¡¯m going to marry Sister when I grow up!¡± He also told Sislin. Even in class, when sharing his hopes for the future. ¡°I will be married to Sister.¡± ¡ªHe was the boy who said, ¡°Sister, you have to marry me later.¡± But, I thought he was just saying it because he was young. Has it not changed even after ten years have passed? I had a hard time opening my mouth. ¡°¡­Heinrich, why do you want to marry me? You¡¯ve been like that since you were little.¡± We were too young back then to know love. Heinrich lowered his dark eyes and buried his head in the back of my hand. Hot breaths swept away fondly. ¡°Only that way, we can be together forever.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Annette, the whisper of the name was as deep as a sigh, as thick as his despair. ¡°If death is the way to be with you forever¡­¡± Breathing in, he continued. ¡°My only dream will be death.¡± CH 98 ¡°If death is the only way to be with you forever¡­¡± ¡°My only dream will be death.¡± Heinrich, when did your heart grow so big? I came down from the hill where the magic had happened, a little dazed. ¡°I don¡¯t want an answer now, Sister.¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± ¡°But I hope you don¡¯t answer too late.¡± Heinrich made eye contact, covering his embarrassed face with his hand. With his beautiful eyes wide open, he said affectionately. ¡°Now, I want to call you ¡®wife¡¯ instead of ¡®sister¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± ¡®Crazy.¡¯ ¡®What do you mean ¡®wife¡¯, Heinrch!¡¯ I covered my mouth and returned to the party with a slightly shocked face. The party hall was relatively quiet. Most of the guests were drunk and asleep (a genius wizard did me a favor, so the hall was warm even at night), while some seemed to have already gone home. Those who went back first left a thank-you note in my mailbox. Seeing that it was quite a lot, it seemed that tonight¡¯s party was almost done, except for a few drunkards. As soon as I entered the bakery, I poured myself a cup of cool water first. ¡°¡­Since, I got the ring.¡± A wedding ring. I opened the ring case, looked at the ring gleaming and shining, and was immersed in thought. I had never thought about marrying Heinrich as much as marrying Kyle. If I were to imagine it now¡ª Without realizing it, I covered my mouth and whispered. ¡°¡­My husband looks too erotic?¡± That was the original setting. Whether he was a man or a woman, it was because he was a beauty. If I thought of him as a ¡®brother¡¯, it was okay, but if he became a ¡®husband¡¯, it would be detrimental to my heart day and night. I imagined being married to Heinrich. ¡°Wife, what are you doing until so late at night?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I was reading a book.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you hungry?¡± Heinrich, in some strange silk robe (I didn¡¯t know why he¡¯s wearing that in my imagination), came behind me and whispered. ¡°I¡¯m a little hungry because it¡¯s late at night, honey. Shall we have a late night snack together?¡± Heinrich spoke affectionately to me with shining eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll bring something to eat.¡± After a while. Heinrich whispered to me as he set the tray down in the bedroom. ¡°Would you like some scones? Or some milk tea? If not¡­¡± Suddenly, Heinrich grabbed my waist with a strong arm and looked down. Narrowing his sultry eyes¡ª He licked his lips and whispered in my ear with a sensual voice as if he was going to swallow and chew me. ¡°Do you want me to feed you, Wife?¡± Keuk! I spit out water without realizing it. ¡®Crazy. What am I imagining¡­!¡¯ I think I heard something like an impure devil in my brain. Oh, my God. I repent! Please forgive me for my sins. I ended up having very bad thoughts about my brother. ¡°Ha.¡± I was flailing(?) like crazy for a week, so I guess I was becoming weird too. ¡­Why did this happen? Until recently, I was just a peaceful baker running . I met three crazy guys and everything changed. ¡°It would be great if all three could be neatly organized.¡± Then the shackles on my wrist and the two wedding rings would all be cleaned up. I mumbled, picked up the ring cases that Heinrich and Mr. Kyle had given me, and went up to my room on the second floor. Then I opened the drawer next to the side table. Click, click. It was a ¡®double drawer¡¯ with another drawer inside the drawer: a place where I store some pretty important things. At the moment when I was about to put the ring cases in there and close it¡­ Sparkle! ¡°¡­¡­?¡± A light leaked from within a shabby cloth pouch. As if there were fireflies in it, something was self-illuminating. ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯ When I opened the pouch out of curiosity, I found something very old. This was the first time in 10 years that I saw this. ¨DAn empty locket necklace. The only thing my parents left with me when they left me in the cradle. That locket pendant without a single picture. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± As soon as I took out the necklace, the light from the locket went out. ¡®Weird.¡¯ ¡°There is nothing that could shine.¡± The locket was made of wood, and the necklace strap was a leather strap that was so worn out that it could fall off. Was a firefly trapped in the pouch? I tried to shake the inside out, but there was nothing. Anyway, there was no way it could get in there in the first place. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I inadvertently tried to put it back in, but I soon took the necklace out and hung it in plain sight ¡ªLet¡¯s see for a few days. ¡®It¡¯s kind of weird.¡¯ I wonder¡­ ¡­Do I even have a real ¡®family¡¯? Mom or Dad, by now, might be desperately looking for me. ¡°It¡¯s absurd, though.¡± A little bitter laughter leaked out. Because even since my previous life, I never had any parental or family luck. So I know it¡¯s a dream that won¡¯t come true, but it¡¯s okay to have hope in the locket, right? It might shine one more time. ¡°If it¡¯s just an ordinary wooden locket, it would be difficult to find the owner because there¡¯s no photo.¡± If this was a special locket¡­ ¡°If it¡¯s not ordinary, one can find the owner.¡± I lay in bed with a little hope. ¡°Whew.¡± Anyway, it¡¯s been a long day today¡­ It was just a party, but there were so many extraordinary things that happened. I soon fell into a dark dream, listening to the sounds of people still enjoying the little party outside. ¡ªWhile Annette was sleeping¡­ Without knowing what was going on. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ A thick smoke was scattered in the air. ¡°Do you believe what he says?¡± Avilus reacted a little agitatedly towards Gerard, who was smoking a cigarette. ¡°Never, he has no reason to tell us where Annette is in the first place.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Last night. The person Gerard met deep in the forest was a very unexpected figure. Contrary to expectations, he was not a commoner, but a noble. So, of course, he wasn¡¯t a street thug, and he didn¡¯t even ask Gerard for anything in return. The beggar child who delivered the letter, and the cheap paper used by commoners, were merely instruments that proved he was good at camouflage. A man who defied all expectations and appeared leisurely. He just said, ¡°I don¡¯t want anything. I¡¯m just here to inform you.¡± Although Gerard had been searching like a dog for over 10 years, he could not find her location. How could this man provide such high-end information so easily? ¡ªAlso, without any cost. ¡°She is now on ¡®Bayonaire Island¡¯ of the destroyed Fris Empire.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± But it was true. The man just said so and left. Of course, Gerard still didn¡¯t know whether the information was authentic or not and if Annette was really there¡­ But Gerard had a strong hunch. What the man said was the truth. His fingertips trembled, and his lips were dry. ¡°That girl was hiding on the island¡­ She was determined to run far away. Wicked thing.¡± ¡°¡­It is clear that he is trying to take advantage of the prince.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Gerard bit onto the cigarette in his leather gloved hand and sucked crudely. With the bright red spark rising from the end of the rod, his pupils sharpened in an instant. ¡°What kind of profit are you trying to get through me?¡± The reason he didn¡¯t want anything in return was probably because he benefited from ¡®announcing his position¡¯ itself. What advantage was that? ¡ªNo matter how much he thought about it, he couldn¡¯t figure it out. But all he could tell was, Annette, that ferocious girl. The girl who drove him almost crazy for 10 years. His only hope was that she was on ¡®Bayonaire Island¡¯. Avilus said to his master. ¡°Prince, then, before we go looking for that girl, let¡¯s take some time and carefully plan¡­¡± ¡°No.¡± Patience was long gone. ¡°If you want to use it, use it willingly.¡± In the end, both of them would only move for mutual benefit. ¡°¡ªShe will eventually fall into my hands.¡± Even if there was a storm, it was enough to go to the center and grab what he wanted. It was clear what he wanted; no matter how the other person was trying to take advantage. Gerard¡¯s red eyes blazed with madness. ¡°Bring the girl from Bayonaire. right now.¡± Avilus, who read the strong will of his master, immediately lowered and bowed his head. ¡°If so, shall we send a formal summons order? Or shall we release the wild dogs?¡± Choice was a luxury when one was desperate. Chasing from several directions was the law when it came to catching rabbits. He ordered briefly. ¡°Whatever you can do, do it all.¡± ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ Meanwhile, Annette¡¯s room. In front of Annette¡¯s bed, who was sleeping soundly. The ¡®empty locket¡¯ hanging on a hook began to move. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± It was like a lie or an unreasonable hope, but beautifully¡ª It glistened, shone, and spun smoothly. CH 99 I was reading the newspaper while drinking wine. ¡¸The Prince of El Dorado ¡ª Invaded the Fris Empire and was victorious. Who is the ¡®Annette¡¯ he is looking for?¡¹ Yes? Wasn¡¯t this an article I had read before? ¡¸Grand Duke Heinrich, the next Tower Lord, put a bounty of 5.8 trillion gold for the sister he lost when he was young.¡¹ Excuse me. Looking at it again, the price was ridiculous. ¡¸According to the available information, Larva declares war on Delphi, ¡°You touched the bakery, so I will destroy your three tribes.¡±¡¹ You didn¡¯t have to destroy the three tribes just because they touched a bakery¡­ Mr. Carnivorous Stag. It was then. Bang! The door was thrown open and a man appeared. It was misty and I couldn¡¯t see his face, but I felt like I knew who he was. ¡°You are here, Annette.¡± That terrifyingly low voice with a strong obsession deeply ingrained. As my spine tingled, he said. ¡°¡­I really missed you and thought I was going crazy.¡± Excuse me, but it looks like you¡¯re already crazy enough(?), Your Highness. Soon, Sislin moved towards me slowly, but with wide strides. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± His sharp eyes looked straight at me, and he slowly unbuttoned his shirt. ¡®Ahh, why are you taking it off!¡¯ ¡®This is a dream. Let¡¯s wake up quickly.¡¯ Realizing that it was a lucid dream, I tried for a moment, but I couldn¡¯t wake up from this dream. After a while, Sislin took off his thin shirt with a large hand and tossed it aside. My jaw muscles were trembling because I was clenching my molars. It looked like I couldn¡¯t stand it. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡®Hell, cancel. This is a spicy ¡­¡¯ The nudity was suffocating under the moonlight. Broad shoulders and chest, perfectly shaped muscles like a detailed sculpture. Thick forearms with blue tendons stretched out like streams of water, and a belly that looked firm like a beast¡¯s. Pants that were barely draped across the long bones, which were located in a thick diagonal line. ¡®Crazy.¡¯ Exactly what I saw at the party. ¡°Annette.¡± A low voice fell. Shudder¡ª Sislin, who came close to my nose in an instant, wrapped my wrist with something. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Unbelievably, it was ¡®shackles¡¯. ¡°Now if you want to run away¡­¡± His broad shoulders leaned toward me. Inhaling, instinctively breathing in, I felt a thick body scent that made me dizzy. ¡°Cut off my wrist and run away.¡± The man wearing the shackles connected to me, his cruel red eyes flashed to the fullest. Badump, badump. That was when my heart was beating fast. ¡°Sister.¡± Heinrich, who appeared from the window, jumped down and approached me. ¡®Heinrich¡¯s condition¡­¡¯ Heinrich¡¯s purple eyes had turned black like poison. As if possessed by madness. He narrowed his eyes and whispered. ¡°You promised not to leave me.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Tak. I panicked and hurriedly stretched out my hand, hitting the wine bottle hard, making it roll. ¡ªClank! Wine splattered like blood on his face. The wine, as thick as red tears, passed through his brow bones and flowed down his cheeks. ¡°For the child who broke a promise¡­ What punishment should I inflict?¡± Heinrich¡¯s eyes and voice, I could feel the suffocating concentration of obsession. Kkwaak. His arms holding me from behind were like a prison that bound me forever and would never let me go. ¡®Heinrich¡­ I am getting really scared.¡¯ When I was trembling¡­ ¡°Owner.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± As I looked down in surprise, I saw a man kneeling in front of me. The man¡¯s eyes were covered with a wide black cloth, and draping over it was his curled hair that was as soft as a field of wheat. ¡­Kyle Winston. Having lost his sight, he licked the plump lips that were under his fine nose. ¡°Owner, please.¡± Wistfully, his head lowered. He grabbed my ankles with his big, pretty hands and kissed the top of my feet hotly. ¡°Please stay by my side forever. Please, please.¡± Gulp¡ª I swallowed my saliva and loosened the black silk cloth. Then, his usual soft green eyes disappeared, and crazy eyes that were boiling with obsession under long eyelashes appeared. ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± Why did the stag become crazy? ¡®You have to wake up. This is not the case.¡¯ This dream was dangerous. It was too dangerous. Moreover, the fact that it felt like a kind of predictive dream was even more dangerous. ¡°Annette, you can¡¯t remove these shackles until I die. no¡­ You can¡¯t even get rid of it when I die.¡± ¡°Sister, you know? I love you¡­ forever¡­¡± ¡°Please be with me for the rest of my life, Owner.¡± Surrounded by madmen, I held my breath as I felt a black hand grab my ankle and pull me into the deep swamp. Just then, I shouted to myself. ¨DWake up, Annette! ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°Ugh!¡± When I opened my eyes, I saw a familiar ceiling. ¡®What is this ominous dream?¡¯ It¡¯s a dog¡¯s dream. I got up from the bed with a groan. ¡°Ah, I must have been through a lot the past few days.¡± Seeing that my dream state was almost rotten, it seemed that the fatigue of the past had accumulated. I poured a cup of cold water from the jug on the side table, drank it, and sighed for a moment. But it was then. Sparkle! An unbelievable scene was unfolding before my eyes. The locket was shining by itself, twinkling and shining. ¡®Nonsense.¡¯ I lowered my legs to the sides of the bed and walked slowly towards the locket. Then I picked the necklace up very carefully (it was a fragile light that would go out if I blew gently) with both hands. ¡°¡­It¡¯s really shining.¡± It was no ordinary locket. ¡®Why now?¡¯ To be honest, I hadn¡¯t taken this locket out often since I started running in earnest, but¡­ ¡­I wasn¡¯t before. I thought it was a locket my parents gave me, and there were times when I wore it around my neck¡­ When I was young, I took it out and looked at it whenever I had free time. It was also because there was nothing like this locket to endure loneliness. Although it didn¡¯t contain a photo, I thought it was the only trace of my family. Perhaps, there was hope that I could be happy with my family in this novel I possessed, unlike in my previous life. ¡®But I¡¯ve never seen it shine like this before!¡¯ ¡®¡­ I¡¯m so excited.¡¯ Really maybe, maybe I could find my parents with this. I quickly tucked the locket away and picked up a piece of paper and a pen. The only person I know who could track this locket. The best intelligence guild in El Dorado. ¡ªKyle Winston. ¡¸Mr. Kyle, I would like to make a formal request to the Larva intelligence guild. Can you investigate this special locket that glows by itself? It¡¯s what my parents left me. If you take on this task, I¡¯ll give you plenty of compensation. I would love to see you and tell you more details.¡¹ I whistled to the squirrel and carefully gave it the letter. ¡°Please, squirrel. Please give it to him!¡± Kkyu. The squirrel who greeted me looked at me with a twitching chubby cheek, waved its plump tail, and walked out of the window. It was when I turned around after seeing the squirrel off. ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± I was momentarily startled. Because of the man who appeared without notice. ¡®When did you come?¡¯ Under the black hair, his red eyes were looking at me indifferently. Only one Sislin appeared, but the room felt cramped. ¡°¡­Your Highness the Crown Prince, knocking is basic!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± He narrowed his eyes playfully. ¡°The squirrel just came in and out, so I thought I could come in too.¡± ¡®Sislin, a squirrel is the size of my fist and you are bigger than 100 squirrels combined¡­¡¯ ¡®Anyone will be surprised when you suddenly show up.¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Soon, Sislin¡¯s head tilted slowly. An unfamiliar gaze pierced my bare shoulders and defenseless arms. Without realizing it, I put an outer garment on. Why? ¨DAt this point, the content of the dream came to mind. Sislin stared straight at me with a subtly thirsty expression. ¡°I missed you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I thought I would die if I didn¡¯t see you right away, so I didn¡¯t even knock before entering¡­ I¡¯ll be careful going forward.¡± The corners of his lips rose smoothly. It was strange that he sounded so ¡®sincere¡¯ while saying crazy things.. But it couldn¡¯t be true. It was probably just like the fun point of a common ¡®obsession maniac¡¯. I deliberately accepted it as a joke. ¡°Then I think you will live a little longer.¡± He quietly moved forward. Hot fingers wrapped around my wrist. The power of the artifact he had planted remained red on my wrist. The feeling of a finger slowly rubbing the inside of my wrist¡­ For a moment, I felt my chest tingling and breathless. The pulse that was being sensed in my wrist suddenly accelerated. Sislin looked at every minute change in my expression and said, ¡°Yeh.¡± A terribly low, resonant voice rang in my ears. ¡°I think I will live now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡®Oh my God, it¡¯s getting dangerous again.¡¯ I opened my half-lidded eyes fully, and slowly removed his hand. Then I calmly asked Sislin. ¡°What did you come here for, Your Highness?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t remember?¡± He replied with a smile. ¡°You promised. Where are we going together today?¡± Come to think of it, I made an appointment yesterday. ¡­With Sislin. ¡°Did you come to Bayonaire just to find me?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t just come to find you. I didn¡¯t just come to pick you up.¡± ¡°¡­Then?¡± ¡°Well. After today¡¯s party, I¡¯ll let you know if you go somewhere with me tomorrow.¡± Sislin whispered seductively. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡ªCould I really follow him? To follow¡­ I was so worried about the dream where crazy people became even crazier. The feeling of the shackles on my wrist was as vivid as reality, so I touched my wrist. ¡®I hope I¡¯m not going to be really trapped this time after following along.¡¯ I felt a bit anxious, but¡­ A promise was a promise. I finally left the room with Sislin. ¡ªAnd. The ominous foreboding was always right. CH 100 Little by little. I sat quietly, listening to the hooves of the horses pulling the carriage. ¡®Where the hell are we going?¡¯ Seeing the carriage running down the unfamiliar forest road slowly made me anxious. Besides, the state of Sislin was¡­ ¡®Today, he really looks like he came out of a R19 work.¡¯ The man who sat next to me with a body like a giant beast¡¯s had his red, cloudy eyes somehow blurred in focus. Like a person who had just been drugged. Or as one who was enduring any pain or impulse. I asked carefully. ¡°Your Highness, are you okay?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Sislin¡¯s eyes, which were deeply buried and darkened, moved briefly to Annette. Annette. It was only after he captured her in his view that his hazy eyes were clearly focused. He was always like this when she saw her. Despite any sort of pain. So he went¡­ ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡ªNo, actually, it was not okay. This morning. Owin secretly summoned a doctor from afar for the sake of his master, the crown prince. He was a doctor that specialized in the treatment of ¡®Mephisto¡¯s bloodline¡¯, the bloodline of Sislin¡¯s mother. The heirs of the family who awakened Mephisto¡¯s strong powers often suffered seizures, which they called ¡®blood disease¡¯. Even Sislin, who awakened his ability in the Forest as a child and forcibly strengthened his ability in the Crevasse, could not avoid the disease. The power called ¡®the devil¡¯s power¡¯ grew stronger as if it grew using the body as a host. The stronger he got, the more it corroded his mind and made his senses more sensitive. ¨DHis maternal grandfather, who suffered from this blood disease, eventually lost his ability and went wild, killing his wife, whom he treasured like gold. And after his senses returned, he suffered from an extreme sense of shame and ended his own life. The attending doctor, who was familiar with such history, looked worried. ¡°Recently, your symptoms have gotten worse. You were definitely getting better, but I don¡¯t know why¡­¡± Owin asked. ¡°Do you have any idea?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve become stronger than ever. After coming to this ¡®Bayonaire Island¡¯. It¡¯s a bizarre phenomenon.¡± What is here in Bayonaire? The doctor¡¯s wrinkles deepened. At that time, Sislin, who had not been able to get out of bed since morning, opened his mouth. With a cracked voice like the sound of iron. ¡°If the abilities exceed the limit¡­ I¡¯ve heard that his damn disease can be contained.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± The attending doctor replied. ¡°A long time ago, one of Mephisto¡¯s ancestors was successful.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Mephisto¡¯s ability is called ¡®Wild Devil¡¯.¡± The doctor¡¯s voice deepened. ¡°Many were swayed by that power and eventually lost all control. However, if you ¡®complete¡¯ a more powerful force¡­ Eventually, you will reach the level where you can call the devil like a servant.¡± Completion of a greater power. The state of wielding the power of the devil as one¡¯s own servant. It meant that the disease could be suppressed once it reached its peak. ¨DSislin was well aware of how to perfect a more powerful force. ¡°I should go to the Crevasse.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Owin was startled, startled. ¡°Absolutely not! Your Highness the Crown Prince, have you forgotten all about your last experience?¡± The last time he went to the Crevasse, Sislin came back with a very miserable figure. The sight of his master coming out of that dreadful pit of hell was terrifying. Even now, a long time later, that figure often appeared in Owin¡¯s nightmare. ¡ªSuch pain was not something humans could tolerate. ¡°Crown Prince.¡± The attending doctor said, looking at him silently with the wrinkled eyes behind the glasses. ¡°If you go to ¡®Crevasse¡¯ this time, you will surely go crazy. No, actually¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee you¡¯ll ever come back alive.¡± It was a hell of a pain that caused others to completely lose their minds even after just one visit. It was already unusual to have been there several times. Usually, one would go crazy or die in it. Hence, Sislin was the only ¡®survivor¡¯. ¡°Even going through that kind of pain could be a great danger to the present Crown Prince.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± In front of the silent prince, an old and worried loyalist bowed. ¡°Please be careful.¡± ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ Gerard¡¯s Palace in El Dorado. Gerard sat still in his wing chair for hours. Like a lifeless still life. Standing beside him was Avilus, lost in thought. He asked his master, who was probably thinking the same as he was, about the biggest ¡®problem¡¯ they now face. ¡°Prince, even if you were to find the girl, would Crown Prince Sislin leave you alone?¡± ¡°¡­He will go crazy.¡± He was a man who started a war to find a woman. He was also a person who had tenaciously pursued for over 10 years. What would happen if he tried to take Annette from such a prince? Even without thinking deeply, he could guess how that ¡®Monster of Crevasse¡¯ would come out. Gerard finally opened his mouth. ¡°If we, here, don¡¯t do our best, we won¡¯t get her.¡± ¡°If.¡± ¡°Do ¡®activation¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Gerard headed to the detached palace. It was as black as the devil¡¯s den, a deserted palace where no one goes. It had been a long time since the door to that space where even the vines had dried up and turned brown, where no life could be felt, where only the old stone statues were placed in a gloomy manner, had been opened. Gerard stretched his arms into the air. As the veins moved like separate living creatures, he swallowed painfully. ¡°Ven¨¦num.¡± Shhh¡ª Soon after, to the sound of the contractor calling him, the ¡®Cursed Sorcerer¡¯ immediately responded. The soul that was parasitic from Gerard¡¯s body quickly slipped out and took the form of a black snake with thick scales. The snake with its dark red tongue was smiling for some reason. [Gerard, you stupid. You¡¯re not strong enough to handle me yet, are you?] ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The snake¡¯s eyes narrowed. [Did I not tell you? You can deal with me only if you use that girl¡¯s power to strengthen your power¡­ Otherwise.] ¡°It will crumble like it is now.¡± After signing a contract with a cursed sorcerer that Gerard couldn¡¯t afford, he was rotting from the inside out. With only a brilliant thought in mind that one day he would be able to wield that power. In fact, when he discovered Annette, the plan was on the verge of success. Gerard¡¯s future seemed plausible until he put the child in the ¡®Forest¡¯ and raised her safely in his own cradle. ¨DUntil that girl disappeared like smoke in the middle and drove multiple people crazy. [You¡¯re so weak right now. So you can¡¯t use my power, Gerard.] The snake sneered at the ¡®Cursed Ven¨¦num¡¯. However, there was a certain determination in Gerard¡¯s eyes. The determination that he would surely possess the long-awaited Annette, and that he would pay any price for it. ¡°If I burn my life as fuel.¡± [¡­¡­] ¡°You said I could use your power.¡± Shhh¡ª Although the snake had no expression at all, it seemed surprisingly happy. Its vertical gold pupils were clearly enlarged. [Then you will die soon? Unless you can rebuild your decaying body with the power of ¡®Exordium¡¯.] ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m still dying.¡± Gerard was holding his last rope at the entrance to Hell. ¡°I will bet my life and death on this.¡± [Kekekek, well thought out! In fact, she has awakened the power of the sorcerer!] ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± Gerard¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Why, now¡­ Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± The snake responded by sliding up and down the entire body of the moss-covered statue of the goddess, with a petulant flexibility. [Isn¡¯t it fun?] That you alone are desperately struggling, conflicting, obsessed, and falling apart. ¡ªMy foolish human contractor. ¡®This son of a bitch.¡¯ Gerard¡¯s teeth gnashed. But at the same time, a strange excitement arose. That was the thrill of making the right choice. [Yes, what¡¯s the first curse that gnaws at your life?] Ven¨¦num¡¯s curse was largely divided into two categories. ¡®Mind control¡¯, and ¡®Time.¡¯ Gerard chose¡­ ¡°Sislin, I will make that bastard go back to ¡®the most painful time¡¯.¡± ¡ªBrother, you¡¯ll end up in the Crevasse again. ¡®In it, you will go crazy and die forever.¡¯ ¡®I will bring back what¡¯s ¡®mine¡¯ that I should have.¡¯ ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°Are we still far away?¡± It seemed like we had come a long way, but we hadn¡¯t reached our destination. So I asked Sislin, who was constantly looking at the outside scenery of the carriage through the forest. ¡°The perfect place is far away.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡®Perfect place?¡¯ ¡®What are you looking for the perfect place for?¡¯ I replied with a smile. ¡°At this point, I am even more curious. Why are you bringing me there?¡± At that moment, Sislin quietly grabbed my hand. ¡®His body temperature is like a ball of fire.¡¯ His red eyes met my green ones, and he whispered. ¡°Do you want me to tell you in advance?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°We are¡­¡± Just as Sislin tried to speak, his expression instantly hardened and he hugged me tightly in his arms. ¡°Close your eyes.¡± ¡ªBang! The impact was strong enough to destroy the carriage. CH 101 For a moment, my vision was greatly shaken. I closed my eyes belatedly, but the shaking was so great that I felt dizzy. I felt the dull bump of Sislin¡¯s body, who held me in his firm arm. If he hadn¡¯t hugged and protected me, I¡¯d have broken a bone somewhere. Then, a shout like the screams of men. ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± As I raised my head with difficulty, I saw an arm holding a sword above the roof of the broken carriage. The assailant who raided the carriage had a bizarre pattern adorning his face. Just like how a person living in the forest might paint a protective camouflage. Damn, his smiling teeth were white. It was a terrible smile that a man from hell would make. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± ¡ªSplak. At that moment without hesitation, Sislin¡¯s sword cut the man¡¯s arm. Blood was splattered unrealistically in the air, like petals falling in the spring breeze, or just like a dream. ¡ªBut, it was reality. A cold and urgent reality. ¡°Stay here, Annette.¡± At the same time as his words flowed out, Sislin jumped out of the running carriage. When I put my head out and looked behind, dozens of pursuers were desperately chasing the carriage. Like a flock of hungry wild dogs chasing after a chunk of delicious meat. ¡®Crazy.¡¯ Heuk, please help me. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to just run away, Sislin? ¡®With what confidence are you doing that?¡¯ ¨DAs I thought so, I saw Sislin slashing three people at the same time. ¡®¡­You deserve to be confident.¡¯ ¡°Your Highness, be careful!¡± The monsters were all decorated with the same pattern on their faces. ¡®I know that pattern.¡¯ ¨DThe Belkains! They were literally tribesmen (relatively less civilized) living on the Belkain Peninsula, who were known to cannibalize. They specialized in battles, so they were often hired by the nobles of the empire to fight dirty battles. ¡­Why would the average bakery owner know this? Yes, this was something that any model student of the ¡®Forest¡¯ could understand. I remembered what I learned in class. Sislin, you probably didn¡¯t study hard in class. ¡°¡­Your Highness! They are the Belkains!¡± There were two important points that were emphasized when I learned about the Belkains. First, run away no matter what when you meet them. Second, it has strong aggression, but its defense is weak from the back, so attack it from the back (I didn¡¯t know why they taught this to a 12-year-old. It even came out in a test ¡ª written question number 3). ¡ªAnyway, it¡¯s helpful. ¡°Attack from behind!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± As the words left my mouth, the new figure of Sislin jumped high backwards. Landing behind them, he crossed the pursuers and slashed them. ¡°Good job, Sisl!¡± At that moment, his red eyes looked at me and smiled. It felt like we had become partners (though I only played the role of a reminder). ¡®That¡¯s interesting.¡¯ Normally, I would have been trembling with fear in a situation like this. After realizing that I would die if I was caught, I became very calm even though a person was cut and killed in front of me. ¨DOr maybe, it¡¯s because there was Sislin. ¡®Did the Belkins come after Sislin?¡¯ ¡®If you¡¯re a prince, you¡¯re bound to have many enemies in the empire.¡¯ ¡®¡­No.¡¯ I could tell by the scene of the fight. They were trying to go beyond Sislin, trying to get to me. Then¡­ ¡®The chasers sent by Gerard!¡¯ All this while, I had been under the protection of Circe and Larva. It was the first time something like this had happened, so there was no sense of reality. ¡®Can¡¯t I help?¡¯ I reached out and tried to use either fire or light, but it felt more difficult than usual because of the urgent situation. ¡ªIt was then. ¡°Keukek.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± One of the Belkain tribesmen must have hidden in the forest road beforehand, or he had somehow climbed up on the carriage. ¡®Die.¡¯ ¡ªThe very moment I thought so. A bright light flashed in front of me. Just like when I inherited the soul of ¡®Exordium¡¯. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°I¡¯m going out of my mind, where did all these wild dogs come from?¡± #19 said while scratching his temple with a shotgun. This was the outskirts of the Fris Empire, one of the spots where they prevented Gerard¡¯s pursuits. It was from this morning that the chasers suddenly poured out in crazy numbers. Originally, the personnel on standby alone were sufficient to stop them, but calls for reinforcements were received from various bases in Larva. It had been a long time since Kyle and the other members of Larva had come to the outskirts. The chubby man showed his golden teeth and smiled. Tang! He blew off the head of the guy who was attacking from afar. ¡°Well, I think Prince Gerard paid a good price for the meat today.¡± ¡°I¡¯m scared to death. They¡¯re so eye-catching. We¡¯re all going to die, you bastards.¡± He grumbled while shooting nonstop at the mercenaries who were attacking #19. The faces of the troops attacking from the outskirts were very diverse. Since Gerard¡¯s original army of personal troops from El Dorado had long since been exhausted in the long chase, he mainly sent paid mercenaries. All of them were lethal and suitable weapons for slaughter. Kyle was fighting expressionlessly in the middle of the battlefield. Next to him were the corpses of the enemy, sloppily piled up like a mountain. Bang! ¡°¡­You fight as if today is your last.¡± This was seen as a waste of troops. ¡®Why?¡¯ Kyle pondered as he looked at the blood-stained battlefield. Why did he send wild dogs to the various strongholds he was defending? What was the reason for such a meaningless consumption battle? At first, he focused on defense, but after a long battle, he changed his mind. Was he suddenly competing with quantity? This was literally just a war of attrition, and this method was not like Gerard, who usually acted meticulously. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± That was then. A thought flashed through Kyle¡¯s mind like a lightning bolt. ¨DAs if today is the last. If that was the answer. If this useless attrition was not the purpose itself, but if there was another purpose. If the purpose was to split the core troops on Bayonaire Island that protected Annette by making various bases request troops¡­ ¡°¡­Shit.¡± His eyes, dark and green, sunk coldly. ¡°The core troops, follow me back!¡± ¡°Yes? Master, where are you going?¡± In response to Chubby¡¯s question, Kyle shouted as he ran as hard as he could. ¡°To Miss Annette¡¯s side!¡± The core members that were gathered on the outskirts of the city moved as if they were one body at their master¡¯s command. ¡ªThey turned like the wind. To the side of those who really need protecting. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°Ahhhhhhhhh!¡± When I came to my senses, something amazing had happened. The flames gathered in my hands were consuming the terrible face. ¡°Ugh.¡± It was the first time I used the power of Um, an aggressively offensive ability. ¡®I¡¯m doing this?¡¯ It was tremendous. ¡®This is kinda cool.¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± Would there finally be a new title besides the ¡®pot wielding master¡¯? Sordi and Um had not returned yet, but it seemed that the voice of the ¡®gay couple who gave birth to a late child¡¯ could be heard. ¡°My baby, I knew you could do it! You¡¯re the best~¡± ¡°Glutinous rice, I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re using my power properly. Hahahahaha! That¡¯s great, that¡¯s great! You can finally get out from and conquer the world!¡± ¨DI apologize about world conquest, Um. ¡®I¡¯m sorry.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t believe what I had just done, so I looked at my hands. That was then. Another Belkain clung to the carriage. ¡®Let¡¯s try again.¡¯ I stretched my hand forward. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± And nothing happened. ¡®¡­What is this guy doing?¡¯ The Belkain looked at me with eyes that, and I was quite embarrassed by his reaction. ¡ªI¡¯m sorry, I guess I lasted up to here. ¡°Annette!¡± At that moment, Sislin¡¯s black powers surged and flew in and threw the Belkain outside. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Hiiiigh! Then, with the sound of a horse¡¯s cry, the carriage, which had been running without a coachman, suddenly began to lean sideways. ¡°¡­Uh?¡± This was an ominous foreboding. Just as expected. The horse, whose leather cord was cut off, was running by itself, and the carriage with the roof blown out was ferociously rolling its wheels by itself. ¨DIn a very strange and scary way, too. ¡®¡­It¡¯s a cliff ahead!¡¯ My heart dropped to the floor. While my hair was flying like crazy, I got up from the carriage. ¡°¡ªSislin!¡± ¡°Annette!¡± Red eyes met green ones head-on. As if noticing the running carriage and the cliff, Sislin frantically slashed the few remaining Belkain tribesmen and dashed to the carriage with all his might. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± And that moment. The carriage, which had reached the cliff, staggered, tilted, and fell down. My vision flipped once, and my body flew into the air; everything felt like it was going in slow motion. The sky was straight ahead. The last thing I saw was a flying Sislin. CH 102 ¡®Oh, it was a good life though.¡¯ I tried to become a bakery owner, received proposals, and met a lot of precious people. It was much better than the last life I had, in which I was hit by a drunk driving motorcycle as soon as I decided to leave the orphanage and start a new life. Still. ¡®¡­I wanted to have a family.¡¯ In the end, it was a little sad to die alone like a loner in this life. In addition to the conviction that I would die from falling from a cliff like this, I wondered if I would somehow survive if I had a body as strong as Sislin. ¡®I¡¯m glad Sisl is still alive.¡¯ ¡®¡­You have to be happy.¡¯ I closed my eyes in resignation, remembering the faces of those left behind. At that moment, flash! I remembered receiving an order for the new menu, fresh cream cake. ¡®I can¡¯t die like this.¡¯ The self-employed woman, who became alert in anticipation of high sales, opened her eyes and reached out as hard as she could. Chak. At that moment, I felt my body stop in the air when it was about to fall. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡ªIt was Sislin. With one hand he held the broken leather cord of the carriage, which was barely hanging on the rocks of the cliff, and with the other he held my wrist. Just like a thick and tough rope. ¡°Annette.¡± Directed at me were red eyes and clenched teeth. Below us, we saw parts of the broken carriage and sword-clad Belkains falling. It was terrifyingly high. Goosebumps formed on my spine. ¡®It¡¯s a great reflex, him.¡¯ While cutting down the Belkains at the moment they fell, did you catch me too? He held onto the leather cord with one hand. ¡°Sisl!¡± ¡°Be careful not to miss it, Annette.¡± Chik¡ª At that moment, I could see the leather strap that Sislin was holding stretching like it was going to break. ¡®Oh, that¡¯s the limit.¡¯ ¡°Sisl! Let me go! You¡¯ll fall with me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say nonsense.¡± ¡°Think rationally. At least one of us must live!¡± The veins on the forearms that were holding the weight of the two of us popped up as if they were about to burst. Even at this moment, the leather strap was growing helplessly. My stomach was burning wildly. ¡°Sisl! Please let go¡­!¡± Red eyes stared straight at me. ¡°Not even in hell will I let go of this hand, Annette.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡®Why are you holding on like that?¡¯ ¡®I didn¡¯t do anything good for you.¡¯ Even if it was for Heinrich, I left you and ran away from the Forest. I let you endure those long years alone, not knowing what you were doing in the Crevasse, and vaguely believe that you would be happy, and I had been living happily on my own. ¡®¡­Idiot.¡¯ When I was young and even now, I was the only one in the eyes of Sislin. Touk, tuk. The leather strap was on the verge of breaking, and the wind blew, woooo¡ª my skirt and hair fluttered in a mess. At the bottom of the cliff, there were only sharp rocks and the black sea, and the dark waves were rushing over and storming for food. It was time for a sober judgment. In the end, I took out the dagger I always carried with me for Gerard. ¡°Sislin, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¨DThis is the dagger I carried to protect myself. ¡®I didn¡¯t know it would be used to protect you.¡¯ And with all my might, I cut Sislin¡¯s wrist with the dagger. ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± However, I did not fall. Even though there was quite a bit of blood flowing from his wrist, that large hand was desperately holding onto me. ¡®Let go of me¡­¡¯ ¡®A person whose life was cut off.¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Touk, tuk¡ª Red blood dripped onto my cheek. Sislin¡¯s sharp eyes narrowed. He looked down at me and smiled faintly. ¡°I said. Even in hell, I won¡¯t let you go.¡± ¡°¡­Sisl.¡± Strangely, tears welled up. Tears that I didn¡¯t shed even when I separated from Heinrich and Sislin and left the Forest. ¡°Annette¡­¡± That was when Sislin was about to say something. Chi¡ª ack! Tuk! The leather strap was completely broken. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°Master, there has been a complete uproar!¡± Larva, who arrived near Bayonaire¡¯s , could sense the commotion from afar. Kyle looked down at the sword that had fallen on the floor. It was a sword breaker (a dagger that had distinctive grooves in its blade, so that flesh would be torn off when one was slashed) adorned with unique patterns and decorations. ¨DIt was the sword of the Belkain tribe. As he expected, the dogs sent to the outskirts were for attention only, and the truly ferocious ones were sent to the village where Annette was. In the distance, the tearing screams of the villagers could be heard. ¡®Annette.¡¯ A fire erupted from Kyle¡¯s eyes. ¡°We¡¯re going to the village right now!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The men of Larva all ran to the village. They had become close to not only Annette, but also the other villagers, so when it was said that they were in danger, they walked faster than usual. However, upon arriving in the village, an unexpected scene was unfolding. Thousands of Belkain people were on their knees at once, with their heads down on the floor, trembling. In front of them, a pale man with beautiful purple eyes and a creepy smile was trampling on the back of a Belkain tribemen¡¯s hand. ¡°¡­Tch, why are these bugs so tangled?¡± His red lips twisted as if he found them annoying. ¡°Oh my god!¡± The Belkains groaned in pain, but could not escape his hands. Under some surreal pressure, the whole body seemed overwhelmed. ¡°Some guy must have smelled something sweet¡­ I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯ll lick the honey.¡± The lower jaw of the silver-haired man curled gently. At the same time, Kyle¡¯s expression turned into a frown. ¡®He¡¯s crazy.¡¯ But for now, it was a relief. ¨DBecause the villagers were unharmed. Thanks to that scoundrel. ¡°Sa, live¡­¡± Heinrich smiled and whispered sweetly to the desperately begging Belkain. ¡°Die.¡± Kwajik! Then there was the sound of necks breaking all at once from the five who were on their knees. The villagers screamed behind their backs. It was the same kind that he heard in the distance. ¡­The screams of the villagers were not because of the Belkains. It was because of that. Anyway, there was no time to delay. Annette probably wasn¡¯t here (if she was, it would be more likely she was here with Heinrich), but still, Kyle searched the inside of the bakery. Indeed, Annette was not here. ¡®¡­You should be safe.¡¯ Kyle quickly tracked the traces left by the Belkain tribesmen and began to search with the Larva. Hot sweat ran down his white skin. ¡®Miss Annette.¡¯ ¡®Please stay safe. Please!¡¯ Kyle suppressed his nervousness and moved again while sorting things out. ¡®He sent wild dogs to the strongholds, and the Belkains to the side of Miss Annette.¡¯ That meant that Gerard knew exactly where Annette was. ¡®What the hell¡­¡¯ ¡®I thought the recruits and I protected her without leaks.¡¯ Where did the information come from? Kyle was determined to find the traitor who leaked the information. ¡®This must be Gerard¡¯s warning.¡¯ Gerard had no intention to immediately take Annette. Because, if he already knew Annette¡¯s location, there was a high probability that he could guess where ¡®Heinrich¡¯ and the ¡®Crown Prince¡¯ would be. If the two, who had been looking for Annette eagerly, disappeared from the capital at the same time¡­ ¡®Gerard already knows.¡¯ That Heinrich or Sislin could not be stopped by the Belkains. So this was a kind of ¡®warning¡¯ or ¡®message¡¯. Wake up from the dream of having a peaceful and normal life in Bayonaire. ¡®He¡¯s going to formally summon Miss Annette soon.¡¯ ¡ªThe capital of El Dorado. ¡°Move faster!¡± He could only hope that the warning would not be fatal to Miss Annette. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± The moment the leather cord broke, Sislin grabbed a protruding rock with his quick reflexes. He began to lift Annette¡¯s tiny body upwards, supporting both of their weights with one arm. With a low groan, his jaw muscles trembled as he clenched his molars. The veins of his neck stood in unison. Broken leather cords and cliff stones, along with drops of blood flowing from the flesh torn from his wrists and Belkain swords flew into the air. Crik¡ª Sislin raised Annette on top of his body. With overwhelming stamina and strength, as well as a tenacious will. Annette also desperately cooperated. If this continued, even the life of Sislin would be at stake. Sislin made sure Annette was hanging well on him before grabbing the cliff with his hands and straightaway used tremendous strength to climb up. Tadunk. Soon they were pulled up completely, and Sislin laid sprawled on the cliff. During the climb, Annette had been placed on top of him so that she wouldn¡¯t get hurt. He was afraid the rough dirt on the cliff would leave her with even a small scar. ¡°Hah. Hah¡­¡± ¡°Sisl¡­!¡± Tears welled up in her pale green eyes. ¡°What would have happened if you failed?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯re such a fool.¡± He could feel her breath running along his rock-like, rigid chest. Her heart was beating like it was about to explode. His own breathing and heart were going at the same beat. Annette caressed his wrist. The wounds she made were clear. Coincidentally, a pattern similar to the one on her wrist had appeared. ¡°¡­That could have been a disaster.¡± ¡°I know.¡± His sharp eyes narrowed playfully. ¡°I almost died.¡± Sislin smiled and hugged her waist; her body was still lying on his. Was she conscious of her posture then? Annette¡¯s cheeks flushed red. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡®Annette, if I say this, you¡¯ll say I¡¯m crazy or you hate it and run away.¡¯ ¡®I love it when those light green eyes look at me in tears.¡¯ ¡®I want to kiss you all over your reddened skin in my arms.¡¯ The moment their lives were caught in a deadly situation and managed to survive. Sislin thought. Perhaps this was the most perfect place. He couldn¡¯t predict his time with her even an inch ahead. One morning when he believed that he could be with her forever, she went away. When he was sure that they wouldn¡¯t be separated any more, they ended up hanging on a cliff side by side. If it was an unpredictable time, he wanted to hold on to it now. ¡°Annette.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± As Annette looked at him with tears in her eyes, he rubbed the tear stains on her reddish cheeks and the soft grass that was stuck to her face with his thumb. Then Sislin whispered. Very low, but with a clearer voice than ever. ¡°Will you marry me?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Annette stopped breathing. Tears that had remained in her pale green eyes flowed down her cheeks like glass grains. Hot tears and heavy breathing. It was a proposal made on a cliff with scars that had not stopped bleeding yet, and a heart that was about to burst. And him holding her in his arms. ¡ªIt was perfect. ¡°Be my wife, whom I will love for the rest of my life.¡± CH 103 After the moment where I thought I was going to die¡­ The first thing I met when I came back alive from the entrance to hell was a proposal. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Shaa, swsahhh¡ª The sound of black waves crashing against the cliff was heard. Was it just my thought that it didn¡¯t sound as scary as before? Facing the cliff, even the strong wind felt cool for some reason. I looked down at Sislin. I was mesmerized with his slightly bruised face. ¡®It¡¯s out of control.¡¯ ¡®What is on your mind?! Sislin.¡¯ Actually, when Sislin first came to Bayonaire, I only read intense ¡®obsession¡¯ and ¡®possession¡¯ from him. ¨DThe red string on my wrist was proof of that. ¡®I just thought that he grew into the obsessive maniac in the novel.¡¯ Just that the focus of obsession has changed from Heinrich to me. However¡­ ¡®Sometimes I think it¡¯s more than that.¡¯ In those eyes that looked down at me from the cliff earlier, I could feel a kind of hot heart that I couldn¡¯t read in the original novel. ¡ªIs it all my misunderstanding? ¡°I¡­¡± I have to answer. Since Sislin proposed to me, I would have to give an answer, but I kept getting my eyes distracted by him. What I saw so up-close¡ª ¡®It¡¯s the first time.¡¯ The dark eyes were sharp as if they had been torn with a knife. But it was really weird. What I felt was that he has sensitive eyes. It was noon in summer, and his eyes were like the scorching sun. ¡®I want to touch it.¡¯ But, I shouldn¡¯t touch it?! Sneak¡ª It was a heart that could not be suppressed by reason. Without realizing it, I lifted my hand. As if possessed¡­ From his handsome forehead with his black hair flowing down, while carefully sweeping the high and cool bridge of his nose with my index finger, His eyes reacted little by little, containing me. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± There was an inkling of dreadful tension. Like touching a wild beast that would never change though it pretended to be gentle in front of me. Soon, he laughed. When the lips with clear boundaries were stretched beautifully, his white teeth were revealed. And, ¨DTak! Sislin grabbed the hand that had been touching him erratically. ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± Annette¡¯s eyes widened like a rabbit caught in a trap. As his blatant gaze lowered to stare at her small, nervous lips, her face flushed with embarrassment. ¡°Ah.¡± Then he tilted his head, and his nose became at an angle dangerous enough to brush hers. The corners of his mouth, taut against his sharpened jawline, slowly rose. It was a dizzying distance that their lips could touch if one of them moved even a little. Just then, Sislin got up without hesitation. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± I, startled, quickly grabbed his shoulder and managed to keep a distance. Just a slight touch¡ª and my lips felt as hot as a ball of fire and my heart was burning. ¡®I¡¯m sitting on Sislin.¡¯ The body temperature was so hot that I immediately tried to get up. But dak¡ª His forearms gripped my waist tightly, as if catching a struggling rabbit with a snare, and pulled me closer. ¡°You can¡¯t go anywhere.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°You have to answer before you can stand up.¡± His red eyes tenaciously stuck to the girl¡¯s eyes as she tried to run away. ¡°¡­Right now, answer¡­?¡± ¡®That¡¯s too much of a demand, Sislin.¡¯ ¡®Aren¡¯t you too impatient?¡¯ ¡®Both Heinrich and Kyle said they would give me time and wait!¡¯ I barely made a sound and called him. ¡°¡­Your Highness the Crown Prince.¡± Sislin narrowed his eyes as if he was pierced deeply for a moment. ¡°Only when you are at a disadvantage do you say ¡®Your Highness the Crown Prince¡¯.¡± Huk¡ª My eyes widened a little. It was a face that said, ¡®Oh, he found out.¡¯ He leaned his forehead on my shoulder and whispered in a grumble. ¡°Still, I don¡¯t hate it at all. Teach me how to hate. Annette.¡± That voice sounded very sweet. My cheeks felt a little warm. His large hand wrapped around mine. Suddenly, I came to my senses and found a ring on my finger. It was a pretty ring. resembling the color of my eyes. It had a beautiful pale green jewel like the essence of early spring. It was such a delicate and elegant ring that it was hard to imagine that this crude and scary man had prepared it. ¨DIt shone just like a fairy, and the size was just right as if he had measured it beforehand. But in front of this perfect ring, I had no choice but to say: ¡°¡­I never thought of getting married.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Sislin placed a hand around my wrist and pressed his hot lips to the soft, white finger that was wearing the ring. ¡ªIt was an affectionate kiss. ¡°Then you can think about it now.¡± ¡°It will take a lot of time.¡± ¡ªA lot. ¡®The truth is, I have no intention of getting married right now, Sislin.¡¯ ¡®Besides, the prospective husband is an obsessive maniac.¡¯ ¡­It was difficult to even imagine such a newlywed. ¡®It¡¯s different from Heinrich and Kyle.¡¯ I could imagine a married life with them in an abstract (though it was a very distorted imagination), but it wasn¡¯t like that with Sislin at all. If I¡¯m married to this mysterious and dangerous husband¡­ Wouldn¡¯t my heart burst and die soon? It will take a lot of deliberation for my peaceful life. ¡°It takes a lot of time.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, I guess that¡¯s what it takes for you to make up your mind.¡± ¡°Well.¡± Sislin¡¯s clean lips rose nicely. ¡°I think you will decide soon.¡± ¡®¡­Why? Why are those ominous words?¡¯ My eyes turned round, not knowing what was going on. However, I could quickly understand the meaning of what Sislin said. ¡ªThat too, As soon as I returned to town. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°¡­This.¡± As soon as I returned to the village, I was confronted with a messy reality. Broken fences, messed up crops, wagons cut in half, and wounded and fallen cattle. Amidst the chaos, an old man sat blankly on the dirt floor, and little children were crying. For a moment, my vision became dizzy, and I frantically ran to the people and asked. ¡°What is all this?¡± ¡°Annette¡­¡± Noah, who had been sitting distraught on a broken wagon, stood up looking at me. ¡°Annette!¡± Then he ran to me and hugged me tight. ¡°Noah¡­ What is all this? These swords¡­ Those people!¡± Scary looking swords were scattered all over the floor. There were injured villagers everywhere. Noah looked at me, wiping the tears from his reddened eyes. ¡°There were people looking for Annette. They destroyed the village and threatened the people.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± At that moment, a man who had stood alone in the midst of the chaos stepped forward. It was Heinrich. The beautiful eyes under his silver hair raised and looked at me. ¡°Annette, don¡¯t worry. Those cheeky bastards have already gone to hell.¡± ¡°¡­Heinrich.¡± ¡°The chasers¡ª¡± Heinrich pretended to cut his neck cleanly with his thumb. Even so¡­ This mess. It was a peaceful and beautiful island where good people lived. If it wasn¡¯t for me, today would have been serene, and they wouldn¡¯t have known this fear. Everyone got hurt like this because of me. People dear to me¡­ For the first time, I deeply regretted it. I shouldn¡¯t have come here in the first place. ¡®It¡¯s all messed up because of me.¡¯ This island of Bayonaire, which I love, had became a mess. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡®Gerard, I won¡¯t let you go.¡¯ I clenched my fists and swallowed my anger inside. For the first time, I felt intense anger. I didn¡¯t want to run away from fear, I wanted to destroy him. Resolving my broken heart, I slowly supported the old man and comforted the little ones. ¡°¡­Owner. Are you okay?¡± Belatedly, Kyle and Larva arrived. I knew without even thinking deeply about it. How long have they been looking for me? I earnestly asked Kyle and Larva. They also seemed to really like Bayonaire. There was sadness in the eyes that looked around. ¡°Help me. Please.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± We slowly cleared the broken fence, rebuilt the wagons, and healed the livestock. And then, I felt like a corner of my heart was slowly falling apart. Only then did I realize. ¡ªThis was my hometown. These people were like my family. If Gerard found out about this location, this probably wouldn¡¯t be the end of it. ¡®This will happen again.¡¯ Even the villagers would have noticed the fact that the monsters came looking for me. ¨DIf I were here, something like this would happen again. ¡®Isn¡¯t that why?¡¯ From the villagers who each embraced their own parents and children, I felt a strange gaze I had never received before. ¡®¡­I can¡¯t stay in Bayonaire any longer.¡¯ After steadfastly cleaning up, I bowed to the people. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry!¡± I closed my eyes tightly. ¡°It happened because of me. really¡­ I¡¯m sorry!¡± ¡°¡­Annette.¡± Tears welled up in Noah¡¯s eyes. That was then. An unexpected voice, very different from what I expected, came out. ¡°From now on, we¡¯ll protect you from those damn guys!¡± Another voice, one as loud as thunder. ¡°Okay, Annette. I¡¯ll keep on the watch for the next 24 hours! If someone comes again, you can hide in my house! We¡¯ll beat them all.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± When I looked up in surprise, the people of the village, both children and adults¡­ Everyone in the village was armed. Of course, most of them held farming tools, but all their fighting spirit was genuine. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I stared blankly at each of them, as if in a trance. Mr. Genji was carrying a hoe on his shoulder, and Aunt Marilyn had her sleeves rolled up. The twins were also holding small slingshots. Mr. Jake from the fruit market, and Miss Mislin who helped with the party. Everyone, without exception, raised a weapon. ¡°I can¡¯t hand over Annette to those scoundrels. Are you all of the same mind?¡± ¡°Right! Right, right!¡± Loud voices of agreement erupted from here and there. Not everyone could completely erase their fears, but the will to protect her seemed much stronger than that. ¡°¡­Everyone.¡± Suddenly my vision blurred and tears welled up. ¡ªThey are such good people. My throat was choked up, and I couldn¡¯t let out what I wanted to say. The words of sincere thanks. Seeing me like this, Mr. Genji quietly wiped away my tears. It was then. ¡°Is everyone trying to plot something? ¡­How dare you.¡± A sarcastic voice pierced through. The uninvited guest appeared casually in the chaotic village. ¨DBlack hair like a crow and turquoise eyes of a reptile. Ears adorned with colorful feathers. It was Gerard¡¯s lieutenant, Avilus Theses. CH 104 ¡°¡­Did you say ¡®how dare¡¯?¡± Annette was the first to come forward. The villagers seemed to be frightened by the sudden appearance of Avilos, who had a peculiar appearance. However, that girl, Annette, whom he met after 10 years, did not appear to be intimidated at all. ¡°Sir Avilus Theses.¡± In the time he hadn¡¯t seen her, the fact that her eyes were raised sharply gave off the feeling of a lady to the point that it was difficult to call her a little girl now. There was power in the light green eyes. ¨DBut it was nothing, Avilus smirked, twisting his lips. She said with cold, sunken eyes. ¡°Sir Theses, be polite. This is where His Highness the Crown Prince of El Dorado and His Excellency the Grand Duke are. Not only that, but Marquis Winston is also here.¡± As she looked around, calling them one by one, Sislin, Heinrich and Kyle, who were mixed among the villagers, appeared. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Oops. Avilus¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s why I¡­¡± Avilus¡¯ words that were indicating a change in his attitude were cut off at once, and Annette emphasized each word and syllable. ¡°¡®How dare¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Suddenly, Avilus¡¯s mouth shut. ¡°You have no manners in front of noble people, and you talk as you please.¡± She lowered her eyes and said scornfully. ¡°This is not only a crime of ¡®insulting the nobility¡¯ but also a crime of ¡®insulting the royal family.''¡± ¡°Miss Annette! Ha, what do you mean it¡¯s an insult to the imperial family! Such wild accusations!¡± Avilus was so embarrassed that he used former speech to the younger Annette. It was too late to take it back, so he gritted his teeth. ¡®This wicked girl.¡¯ She was even worse than before. Avilus, of course, was not a commoner either, but it was clear that he was rude in the presence of high-ranking nobles and a member of the imperial family. Annette, who had seized the momentum, looked back and uttered indifferently. ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t that right, Your Highness the Crown Prince?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± The man with eerie, bloody-looking red eyes gently stroked his ear. ¡°I certainly feel a bit insulted.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± It was an expression that would eat the opponent alive. Sislin smiled, revealing his white teeth. ¡°Cutting off one of those unique ears will comfort the insult.¡± ¡°I, Your Highness, I¡ª!¡± Then, as if seeing something filthy, Heinrich frowned and said, ¡°I¡¯ll take both arms then.¡± The grand duke, also known as the Vivantum, shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I just don¡¯t like the way it hangs.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± ¡®Y-You crazy.¡¯ Among the dogs, Marquis Kyle Winston, who looked normal, seemed to remain still, but he soon opened his mouth with his characteristic noble accent. ¡°I will do it with both ankles. Seeing him standing upright, he seems to be ignorant of obedience.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The carnivorous stag laughed softly. ¡°It is better to adopt a posture of submission for the rest of his life.¡± ¡ªIt was the craziest thing ever. In addition, the expressions of the standing behind the Marquis of Winston looked as if they were going to grind Avilus (they were already vicious-looking, so the effect of a ¡®bouquet of violent flowers¡¯ was appearing). ¡°¡­Please, spare me!¡± Avilus fell flat in his place. ¡°I apologize! I did not recognize Your Highness the Crown Prince, Your Excellency the Grand Duke of Hyacinth, and the Marquis of Winston.¡± This was a place where there was no owner to protect him. There was no one to stop them from killing him. Then Annette opened hermouth. ¡°¡ªStop it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Surprisingly, the three madmen kept their mouths shut. Lying down on his stomach, his eyes widened; Avilus couldn¡¯t believe it. What just happened? All three of them were listening to the words of a small woman. It was as if a keeper who skillfully handled wild beasts appeared. It was impossible to know what kind of power this little girl had. Annette looked down on him unreservedly and said: ¡°Why did you come to me, Sir Theses?¡± Avilus raised his head slightly as the crown prince had not yet allowed him to stand up, forcing him to let his forehead stay at her feet and replied, ¡°¨DPrince Gerard has sent a formal summons.¡± As he was delivering the summons on behalf of Prince Gerard, it should have been done standing upright. At this rate, it¡¯s the same as Gerard putting his head down and offering the summons. However, to Avilus who was wondering if he would allow him to get up from his current position, Sislin simply chewed and spit out these words: ¡°Not allowed.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Avilus, who represented Gerard¡¯s power everywhere, was unfamiliar with this insult. He trembled and handed the summons to Annette. Annette looked down at the scroll for a moment. ¡®What is written on it?¡¯ Actually, she had a guess as she returned to town after being attacked by the Belkains. That Gerard would exert pressure not only by force but also formally. So it wasn¡¯t a shock. Finally, having received the scroll, she opened the summons and checked the contents. And, ¡®Also.¡¯ Arsenic entered the corners of Annette¡¯s lips. Not a single thing had changed in ten years with the vile, Gerard. Yes, it¡¯d be sad if it changed. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡¸¡®Annette von Axelferion¡¯ is ordered to immediately return to the Imperial Palace of El Dorado. The deadline is three days. If you do not voluntarily comply with the order, we will implement compulsory return measures in three days. ¡ªGerard von Axelferion¡¹ I sat down at the table and looked through the summons alone. ¡®This is a really mean tactic.¡¯ ¡ªForced return in two days. If the summons came without anything else, it wouldn¡¯t be considered mean, but¡­ Today, Gerard showed me. What would happen to this small island of Bayonaire when the ¡®forced return measures¡¯ are implemented. He probably has no intention of dragging me away quietly. Even to break my spirit for disobeying orders. Earlier, seeing this summons, Kyle said, ¡°Owner, at that time, you were not officially registered with Gerard, but you can finish the process even after you become an adult.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t Sister already know? She knows more about the adoption laws of the empire than we do.¡± ¡ªHeinrich was right. After escaping from Gerard, especially when I got bored, I would rummage through adoption laws. I wanted to avoid it when a day like this came up (though there was no way to do it right away). ¡®According to the imperial law, there are only two cases of stopping the entry process.¡¯ One is when you have already formed a family and your own family exists. The other was the succession of ¡®titles¡¯. It was only possible when both were leading their own families. It was rare for an adopted child to disappear without being registered during the adoption process, but it was a provision made a long time ago based on the case of an orphanage child who had been abducted. When the family found the child again, he had already established a family on a distant land. Eventually, the adoption process was canceled. ¡°¡­This is what Sislin meant.¡± When I told him it would take some time before I could answer the proposal, he replied: ¡°I think you¡¯ll decide soon.¡± I whispered quietly. ¡°This is what he expected.¡± As a way to avoid being formally adopted by Gerard, it might be a situation where, in fact, there was no other option but marriage. ¡®Alas, this is like a mouse cornered with three totally expensive rings?¡¯ ¡®Isn¡¯t the mouse so luxurious?¡¯ I pinched my chin and looked down at the table. ¡°¡­Is marriage really the only way?¡± I took out the three ring cases and put them side by side. I must marry one of the three madmen to escape the demon Gerard. Heuk heuk, oh my God. Why is the difficulty level of my life continuously in hard mode? ¡®Isn¡¯t this really too much?¡¯ ¡°¡­If not. As usual, I can come up with other methods.¡± I shifted my gaze to the locket on the other side of the table. It was spinning and twinkling next to the three rings. ¨DThe light still had not stopped. As if that was not enough, somehow, I felt that the light was getting brighter. It wasn¡¯t an illusion. The locket left by my parents. ¡®It¡¯s clear it¡¯s a magic item. Based on this, there is a high probability that my parents are not ordinary commoners.¡¯ Or, even if they were ordinary commoners, it might be possible to get an exemption from the imperial law if they were my real parents. It was quite impossible to be admitted into another family if I had parents. I immediately requested a meeting with Kyle. This meeting was between the ¡®Leader of Larva¡¯ and the ¡®client¡¯. The discussion progressed very quickly, as I had already briefly talked about it in a letter last time saying I had something to request. ¡°It¡¯s definitely fascinating.¡± ¡°If we investigate this locket, we might be able to find my parents. The problem is¡­¡± ¡°Time is running out.¡± ¡°¡ªThat¡¯s right, the summons in three days. Is it possible?¡± The leader of the dark guild, one of the best on the continent, smiled with his gentle eyes. Attractive Indian dimples dented his face. ¡°I will look into it within three days.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I sweated a little at that. ¨DOh my God, Kyle. Is that possible? ¡®I think I¡¯ll be satisfied if you even manage to investigate within a week.¡¯ To be honest, I thought it would be impossible in three days. No matter how he was the leader of the best dark guild in the world. But it would be a little rude to show distrust, so I lowered my eyes and smiled. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll trust only Kyle!¡± Then he gently grabbed my hand and did not let it go. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The girl did not notice. At that little gesture and the word ¡®Trust¡¯¡­ ¡­The carnivorous stag¡¯s cheeks turned red, and his eyes were filled with strong will. And indeed, the ¡®smile and trust¡¯ that his owner gave him came back with great results. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ The next day. Kyle Winston, the world¡¯s most diligent investigative man, appeared and said with a twinkle in his eyes. ¡°I have found the source of the ¡®locket¡¯ you mentioned.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± Yes? No, already? CH 105 ¡®I said within three days, but you brought it the next day.¡¯ It¡¯s a speed commensurate with the national character of a country with a quick temper. I rubbed my nose in satisfaction and smiled. Then I asked quickly. ¡°What kind of locket is that?¡± ¡°This¡­¡± The wooden locket shone from Kyle¡¯s large hand. With a brighter light than yesterday. ¡°This is an ancient artifact brought from the Ghost Island by the Southern Pirate King.¡± ¡°An ancient artifact¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, the two lockets are ¡®a pair¡¯, and when the two lockets meet, each owner¡¯s image appears in the empty locket like a photograph.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°When the pirate king was executed by the admiral, the pair of lockets he shared with his lover was put up for auction. The winning bidder was a secret, but it was said to be a noblewoman around the age of 20.¡± He said the winning bidder was a noblewoman? ¡ªCould she be my mother? Kyle smiled warmly with his dark green eyes. ¡°Perhaps the owner¡¯s mother put it in the cradle, desperately wanting to get you back.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a locket that one gives to a lifelong lover.¡± Lifelong lover. I once read in a book that a mother regards her child as a lifelong love. A daughter who was born after cherishing her for nine months in her own womb. What was my mother thinking when she put her lover¡¯s necklace in the cradle? ¡®You didn¡¯t throw me away because I was useless.¡¯ My mother¡­ ¡®You always wanted to get me back.¡¯ Actually, either in my past life or in the present, I didn¡¯t think I would be a beloved family member like every other child. Since I was not born out of love. ¡°Normal children are born out of love. But sometimes there are children who are just ¡®feces¡¯ of sexual desire.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Just like you.¡± The abusive language of the slave trader was actually contained in the unconscious. Like a big needle that appeared suddenly and stabbed the heart deeply, even if you usually forgot about it. ¡°¡­The mother who gave birth to me, she wanted to find me.¡± ¡°She must have been so eager.¡± Kyle wrapped a warm arm around my shoulder as if comforting me. I could feel it. That the big needle that pierced my heart suddenly disappeared without a trace. The words of such a wicked man were really simply foolish. ¡°Owner, the successful bidder for such an auction is supposed to be a secret, but we have identified the successful bidder by recruiting the host who ran the auction at the time.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± For a second, I almost fell in love with Kyle. This quick and clever, the world¡¯s most capable leader of the dark guild. ¡°The winning bidder is the ¡®Duke of Valienne¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± In an instant, my mouth opened in shock. My mother was of a ducal family? ¡®She wasn¡¯t an ordinary person.¡¯ Kyle revealed the duke¡¯s full name. (TL/N: raws stated ¡®duke¡¯ instead of ¡®duchess¡¯, as she inherited the title rather than her husband.) ¡¸Derkis Valienne¡¹ The famous daughter of the Duke of Valienne. It was said that she fell in love with a soldier without a title, married and had a child. However, during her pregnancy, her husband died on the battlefield. ¡°It is said that the child of the Duke of Valienne was stillborn.¡± ¡°It¡¯s stillborn¡­?¡± ¡®I¡¯m alive like this. Could it not be me?¡¯ What the hell was this. ¡®The situation is to the extent that a healthy child is said to be dead and secretly stolen.¡¯ I once learned about the Duchy of Valienne in a class in the Forest. It was one of the oldest venerable ducal families. In its fertile and expansive territory, it has accumulated enormous wealth through crops and magic stone mines that have been passed down from ancient times. In addition, the family was famous for having honey-like blonde hair for generations. I glanced at my hair. A princess from such a family was abandoned in an orphanage? ¡°¡­Is the Duke safe?¡± If the circumstances were to the point of abandoning her daughter, she might be in trouble too. Kyle replied with a slightly sad look. ¡°The Duke of Valienne is said to have been lying unconscious since giving birth.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Oh, I see. ¡°Owner, this locket will only shine under certain conditions.¡± ¡°By any chance¡­¡± When I had a hunch and muttered, Kyle continued my words. ¡°When the life of one of the locket¡¯s owners is in jeopardy.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The light of the locket was a signal that one of the two lovers was calling out before they died. ¡°I don¡¯t have much time.¡± Kyle immediately stood up at my words and said, ¡°Yes, you must leave now.¡± ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ Zannen Street in El Dorado. This street was filled with those who were extremely poor, sick and abandoned among the lowest-born people. Also known as the human trash can. ¨DOr, ¡®living hell¡¯. On this street that even ordinary commoners normally do not go close to, a high-ranking person came today. It was the first prince of El Dorado, with long silver-gray hair, red eyes, and dignity and benevolence. Gerard looked at the woman kneeling in front of him and said, ¡°The situation has gotten worse.¡± It has been more than 20 years since Gerard von Axelferion came to the streets of Zannen and cared for the dirtiest, least, and lowly. The woman kneeling at Gerard¡¯s feet had dirty bandages wrapped around her body. She was a woman with a terrible skin disease, in which her flesh wore and rotted, and eventually it fell off. ¡°Prince, prince¡­ It is an incurable disease that causes death and is even contagious. You cannot approach me with that noble body or touch my skin.¡± Gerard¡¯s eyes were still. ¡°Okay.¡± A large hand raised the sick, and touched the rotten and stinky shoulder. ¨DFor the woman, it was the first touch from another person after suffering from this illness. She trembled with wonder and emotion from the touch of the prince. His dignified voice flowed low. ¡°You are also a citizen of El Dorado, my people.¡± ¡°¡­Ugh, oh¡­ Prince!¡± ¡°I will send a doctor so that you can receive regular treatment. Get well soon and take care of your child.¡± Gerard¡¯s red eyes moved. To the little boy kneeling next to his mother. The child was trembling. ¡°As a mother, you shouldn¡¯t die and leave your child behind.¡± ¡°¡­Prince, how should I repay this favor? Thank you very much¡­¡± The patient with skin disease shed hot tears. Other poor and the sick surrounded them and wept. Loyalty to Gerard grew today. This was the reason why the first prince was most admired in the empire. He went to the lowest, filthiest places of El Dorado and cared for the people of the Empire¡ª He embraced all the people like his father. This perfect and benevolent personality was called the perfect ¡®next emperor¡¯ until Sislin became a prince. When Sislin, who was known for being cruel and ruthless, became the ¡®Crown Prince¡¯, the public sentiment fluctuated at its worst. ¡°The ¡®Monster of Crevasse¡¯ pushed Prince Gerard out and took his place by force!¡± ¡°We must stand up!¡± The will of the people of the empire was strong. Sometimes they overthrow a dynasty, change leaders, or even destroy an empire. This was the reason Sislin kept Gerard alive. ¡ªSislin was an expert. By not being openly at odds with Gerard, he kept his own narrow public sentiment intact. Even if he secretly assassinated Gerard now, the people of the empire would be suspicious of him. An emperor who did not win the hearts of the people of the empire was only a half-emperor. So, Sislin spared his life for the time being. However¡­ If public opinion changes, Gerard would be executed. That was why; After Sislin became a prince, Gerard tripled the time he spent caring for the people. All of this was a politically calculated act. As Gerard took care of all the patients, his escort stepped up. ¡°Prince, it is time to move.¡± ¡°¡­P-Prince. There is something I want to ask you!¡± At that time, the child of the woman with skin disease put his forehead on the floor and said, ¡°Can I be a great person in the future, even if I am lowly¡­? Just like you.¡± The surroundings became noisy and the child shriveled up. How dare he want to become like the prince in the future! ¡°¡­¡­.¡± But Gerard looked down at the child calmly. He didn¡¯t show any displeasure at all. He was just like a calm river. The lips that had been closed in a straight line moved slowly. ¡°Even if you are born humble.¡± Even if he was a human born from a lowly body. ¡°Die noble.¡± If you¡¯re in a noble position when you die¡­ ¡°¡ªIf that happens, your life will be wonderful and complete.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The child stared blankly at Gerard with an enlightened face. Gerard turned away from the child and slowly left the place. A very long time ago. There was someone who said the same thing to Gerard. It was when he was still a boy. Gerard¡¯s mother, the empress, was fond of young Gerard, but she sometimes said crazy things as if she was insane. ¡°That child is not mine! A slave swapped her son with mine! My child can¡¯t be like that!¡± ¡°¡­Mother¡­¡± It was a wound for young Gerard. Everyone thought the empress was crazy, that she got a nervous breakdown after childbirth and she was out of her mind. Every time she drank, the pain was severe, and she thought about it all the more because she was always in her mood swings. ¨DBesides, the emperor and Gerard looked exactly alike. When he was hurt by the empress¡¯ words, Gerard used to repeat himself. ¡°I am of the noblest bloodline.¡± Born to the emperor and empress, the first son of a perfect lineage. He would become the crown prince in the future, and when he grew up, he would become the emperor of El Dorado in name and reality. Gerard, who was born with arrogance and dignity, found it hard to bear the empress¡¯s mad words. But, he persevered. ¡ªBecause he loved his mother. Then one day. A beggarly slave woman hid in the Imperial Palace and approached Gerard. Before even questioning how she got in here, Gerard was enveloped in a strange feeling. The moment he saw the slave woman¡¯s face, his heart beat ominously. The woman covered Gerard¡¯s cheek with her bony, rough hands; they felt as thick as thorns. ¡°My baby, my son¡­¡± ¡°¡­What the hell are you talking about!¡± Gerard trembled and pushed the woman away. The lady stepped back and raised the corners of her lips. She was obviously crazy. ¡°You don¡¯t even recognize me? There¡¯s a half-moon-shaped mole around your waist. Hehe! It¡¯s been with you since you were born!¡± The woman said that was a characteristic of the ¡®Morserks¡¯, and she has the same thing. All this while, Gerard lived thinking that it was an ¡®illness¡¯. A mole that appeared on the day of a full moon and disappeared the next day. So he kept it a secret without telling anyone. That day happened to be a full moon. ¡°Look, my son!¡± The woman showed him her own mole. She said their kind were characterized by moles of the same shape between parents and children. ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± The boy, who confirmed the mole, was instantly dizzy. He asked, trembling. ¡°¡­I-It¡¯s ridiculous that you¡¯re my mother. Then how did you sleep with the Emperor?¡± ¡°What do you mean? My son.¡± A woman with a shabby appearance smiled, revealing her yellow teeth. ¡°Your father is not the emperor.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± ¡°He was a street drunk with silver-gray hair and red eyes.¡± Gerard¡¯s breath stopped for a moment. ¡°He bought a night with me for 50,000 gold.¡± Ame: Annette having a noble lineage is something we all saw a mile away¡­ but oh my gosh!? Gerard isn¡¯t a real prince?! ¡­Poor boy, to find out his life is a lie¡­ CH 106 ¡°My father is a street drunk¡­?¡± Gerard felt his feet go out for a moment. He was experiencing it for the first time. As a result of a psychological shock, the phenomenon of a buzzing sound in the ears. His eyes twitched and for a second he couldn¡¯t move as if he had been beaten hard in the head. Thoughts scattered like shards tangled in his head. So, she really swapped the babies? ¡ªThe empress wasn¡¯t crazy? Or was it that his mother¡¯s madness had shifted to him, and now he was imagining things? It would have been better if it was nothing, but the woman with a ragged appearance was brutally realistic. As if she had been longing for this moment, she spoke with a vivid look full of ecstasy. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t matter who your father is, son. What matters is that you¡¯re raised to be a great prince, hehe!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡®You¡¯re welcome.¡¯ ¡®You just dropped your chick in someone else¡¯s nest like a cuckoo!¡¯ Gerard bit his lip. ¡°¡­There¡¯s no way you can easily replace a child of the imperial family.¡± ¡°You still don¡¯t believe it? Of course it wasn¡¯t easy! We, the Morserks, have planned this for a long time for the revival of the clan. To celebrate the revival of our clan with you as emperor! ¡­Do you not know how many times our clan has infiltrated the Imperial Palace of El Dorado for this plan?¡± The woman he did not know put her hand on her chest, and she proudly said, ¡°Look at me now! How did I get here? ¡­Even dressed like this.¡± The woman¡¯s eyes had a hint of desperation. ¡°¡­You planned it for so long, but you sold your body to some man and had a baby?¡± Without erasing the nausea and disgust, Gerard sharply asked. The woman laughed like a person with one screw missing. ¡°That night, my son. I needed a man with silver gray hair and red eyes, and 50,000 gold. It was a perfect night.¡± The empress had silver gray hair, and the emperor had red eyes. An illegitimate life born of a street drunk through prostitution worth 50,000 gold, an illegitimate child whose father he did not know. ¡ªThat¡¯s ¡®me¡¯? He had gone from being the noblest man in El Dorado to the lowest in the world. Gerard was still just a boy. To accept this shock, he was young by general standards. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Gerard stood there with a pale face as if he had lost all his motivation. Then, suddenly, he remembered what the empress had said to the emperor. ¡°That child is not really my son, Your Majesty. As proof, he can¡¯t even use Mephisto¡¯s powers, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure Gerard will be able to use the powers when he grows up, Empress.¡± The emperor replied, soothing her anxious wife. ¡°Because that power runs through his veins.¡± He believed that and he had endured¡­ He was my mother¡¯s son. One day he would grow up to be an adult, bloom his magical powers, and carry on the proud lineage of His Majesty the Emperor. But, he wasn¡¯t. In the first place, he himself was a lowly being. Like a common cockroach on the street. Like a filthy parasite of the imperial family. ¡°Son.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The woman wrapped her arms around the shoulders of a completely dazed Gerard. Then she whispered in his ear. ¡°I made you a prince, so you should repay me. Many families are hoping for a reward.¡± The woman¡¯s eyes narrowed greedily. ¡°You don¡¯t intend to live well and eat well as a prince alone, do you? ¡­If I open my mouth¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You, too, won¡¯t be able to live as a handsome prince any longer, ahahaha!¡± It was an obvious threat. His mother, who had pushed herself into the Imperial Palace, was threatening her son, whom she had not met in more than a decade. Gerard¡¯s face grew paler. After a long silence, Gerard looked at the woman with red eyes. ¡°¡ªI¡¯ll pay.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The woman¡¯s face glowed. ¡°If you tell me about the Morserks who infiltrated the Imperial Court, I¡¯ll make them sit in important positions.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°¨DIt is good to lay the foundation for the revival of the clan in the distant future.¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re smart! My son!¡± Excited, the woman revealed all of the Morserk clan that were in the imperial court, and the moment her lips uttered the final name, she was mercilessly pierced by Gerard¡¯s sword. From that day on, Gerard was changed forever. The only emotion he felt was anger. From the day that his hands were stained with blood that should not be buried, the boy viciously killed every parasite in the imperial court one by one. ¡ªNo one knew. And he compulsively tried to be the ¡®perfect prince¡¯. It was around that time that he established his place by creating an image from the people of the empire. But the more he did it, the more he struggled. One side of his heart was falling apart every day, and his heart rotted from within. Right then. A black, thick snake-like figure appeared in front of Gerard. Its name was Ven¨¦num. It was the soul of a cursed sorcerer. [If you sign a contract with me, I¡¯ll lend you my strength. Become a noble emperor with that power!] The vile snake made the most welcoming face and seduced the boy. Ven¨¦num gave him guidelines to life. [Even if you are born lowly, you just have to die noble.] ¡ªTo die as a noble person. He believed that he was noble all his life, but in reality, he was a boy born lowly. It was the only choice. In the end, Gerrard accepted Ven¨¦num. Ven¨¦num also said, ¡°Because the human body is weak, it will not be able to fully utilize its power and will gradually collapse.¡± ¡°So put a special ¡®cast¡¯ in your eyes and find a special soul to awaken ¡®Exordium¡¯. If you find that child, you will be able to live as a noble person with my power.¡± The following year. Gerard saw the color of the special soul. From the ¡®Duke of Valienne¡¯. [Kekek, will the Duke of Valienne be your rope?] ¡°No.¡± Gerard continued speaking as he looked at her pregnant belly from a distance. ¡°The child in that belly is the real one.¡± She was growing in her pregnant womb. The name of the woman he would yearn for for the rest of his life. ¡ªIt was Annette. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ Dageuduk, dageuduk. In the moving carriage, I quietly thought to myself. ¡®¡­I¡¯m sure I left alone with Kyle.¡¯ ¡®Why?¡¯ ¡®Why are those two crazy fellows following too?¡¯ Clever Sislin and Heinrich said they would accompany me too, and now, behind my carriage, as many as three carriages (each with a madman on board) were following me. ¡®The Crown Prince, the Grand Duke, and the Marquis are following me?¡¯ ¡®No, it¡¯s just a bread lover¡¯s trip¡­ Can I drag these precious people behind me?¡¯ ¡®¡­Even the emperor doesn¡¯t make such a procession, right?¡¯ ¡®I feel like the owner of a snack.¡¯ With three dogs chasing after me. Fortunately, the carriage was comfortable. All three said they would ride with me in the same carriage (the carriage was about to explode because three tall people were in it), but I kicked them all out without a hitch. Thus, it became a luxurious one-person carriage. ¡°Whew¡­¡± I looked out the window quietly. ¡®I¡¯m returning to El Dorado in the end.¡¯ It was quite a long distance when I ran away and hid on Bayonaire Island. When returning, it wasn¡¯t that long as teleportation was actually used to move the carriage. ¨DThanks to a genius wizard. ¡®Is the Duke of Valienne really my mother?¡¯ Was she really in critical condition? To be honest, it didn¡¯t feel real at all yet. At that time, while I was lost in thought¡­ ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The door of the moving carriage swung open, and a large man like a beast came in and sat down. ¡ªTak! ¡°Inside.¡± ¡°¡­Your Highness the Crown Prince, oh my god!¡± A tough-looking forearm slipped behind my back and butt¡ª and then huak, my body was lifted and moved further in. As easy as handling a child. ¡®What are you doing?¡¯ ¡®Rather, you just got on a moving carriage, right?¡¯ ¡°I have something to tell you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s cramp.¡± I said bluntly. Then, Sislin¡¯s large hand grabbed the handle of the seat I was sitting on. Strong arms limited my space like a prison. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The sturdy chest that almost touched my blouse and the terrifyingly handsome face were getting closer and closer. ¨DShrinking the space so that one couldn¡¯t move. It was like putting me in a corner. Sharp red eyes narrowed. He half-laughed and half-whispered. ¡°Hold it in.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡®I¡¯ll put up with the crampedness, Sisl. But why are you saying naughty things?¡¯ ¡®It feels like it¡¯s getting hot all of a sudden.¡¯ Sislin had just gotten into the carriage, but it felt like the temperature had risen strangely. When we were alone in a limited space, the unique body scent of Sislin was felt strongly, and my head became dizzy. ¡°¡­Hurry up and leave.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a day since I proposed, but sadly you haven¡¯t said anything.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± It was just one day. Apparently, this man¡¯s patience was much shorter than that of Kyle and Heinrich. ¡°I think it will be easier to answer now.¡± His red eyes shone like a wild beast before swallowing its prey. I asked, looking him in the eye quite confidently. ¡°Why do you think so?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the easiest and most convenient option you can choose right now. Marriage.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not romantic at all to be pushed by circumstances and get married. Do you want me to?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The lips resting above his distinct chin raised charmingly. He whispered ¡°I wish you would cling to my arms, crying and begging for help.¡± ¡­Crazy guy ¡®You¡¯re talking like a madman, but in a romantic way, Sislin.¡¯ As I narrowed my eyes, he said with a low smile. ¡°Another startled look. That expression is pretty.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Today, Sislin had a more tenacious and mysterious atmosphere. The tips of his rough fingers gently scratched the insides of my soft, sensitive palms. He met my eyes and whispered like a devil. ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡± With thick fingers, he filled the gap between my fingers, as if pressing it in. Squeeze¡ª our hands were clasped together. His red eyes were lidded as he whispered like he was about to do something bad. ¡°Come on, do it with me.¡± How strange and ticklish the nuance was. For a moment, it sounded like he wanted to do something other than get married. I could feel my face flaming up a little. ¡°W-What are we doing?¡± As I shamed him for no reason, Sislin¡¯s sharp eyes narrowed slightly. ¡°Get married, and you do the ¡®thing¡¯ you just thought of.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± It was clear that he was determined to seduce me today. His immoral lips touched my deliciously reddened ears and whispered. A low voice rolled out like whipped cream. ¡°Until you lose your mind.¡± CH 107 ¡®¡­Am I going to go crazy with those words?¡¯ Tuk! Without thinking much, I covered Sislin¡¯s mouth with both hands. ¡°Please stop talking, Your Highness!¡± The red eyes that gazed at the girl¡¯s little hands curled up playfully. He had the eyes of a boy. Chuu, voluminous lips kissed my palm. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± I got angry and shook my hand away, eyes becoming brightly raised. ¡°I really can¡¯t let my guard down even for a moment.¡± ¡°Be careful.¡± ¡°No.¡± I opened the carriage door wide. Then, with a finger, I confidently pointed outside. ¡°Please leave!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Hui-yi-ing¨C Dageuka, dageuka. The carriage was running as fast as the wind. The energetic and strong horses were stomping their feet vigorously. She wanted him to drop off? Getting off here would usually break one¡¯s neck. Sislin raised his thick eyebrows and said sternly. ¡°From this running carriage? ¡­That¡¯s too much, Annette. To tell the Crown Prince of a country to jump off a moving carriage and die.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to die like this! Your Highness is incredibly strong¡­¡± ¡®And don¡¯t say ¡®Crown Prince¡¯ only when you¡¯re at a disadvantage, Sislin.¡¯ Regarding the back story, I didn¡¯t have much to say, so I didn¡¯t say anything. Because I was the first to draw the line of ¡°Your Highness the Crown Prince¡¯. ¡®¡­But it¡¯s cheap of you to copy me.¡¯ ¡°Annette.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± All of a sudden, the playful eyes had returned to the usual Sislin¡¯s. I gazed into them as if attracted by those red eyes. ¡°Think seriously. Being my wife makes it easier for me to protect you. No one would dare¡­¡± His calloused hand brushed my cheek. ¡°They can¡¯t touch you.¡± His voice was low and firm, but gentle like a lover. ¡°Because that is the purpose of my becoming the Crown Prince.¡± No, the purpose of his life. The only. ¡°To put you in the highest place, Annette.¡± Those red eyes were imbued with persistent longing and affection. There was a feeling of danger and fear as if caught in a trap, and at the same time, those eyes made it strangely exciting. To become ensnared in the trap¡­ ¡­It was like becoming the master who completely owned and ruled the most honorable man in El Dorado. Around the time when I was experiencing that contradictory and peculiar feeling. Sislin smiled and kissed my cheek. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Then he jumped off the moving carriage and disappeared, just like when he got on the carriage without any problems. As though it had been a lie. ¡°Ha¡­¡± Tak¡ª I closed the carriage door. It felt as if I had been released from hypnosis, and now I could barely breathe in the narrow space. I looked out the window. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The scenery that dashed backwards was the same, but the temperature had changed significantly. His hot body temperature was still around. ¡ªVery vividly and clearly. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Duke.¡± Gerard looked down at the pale, skinny woman lying in the dimly lit room. She was unconscious and stayed in bed, barely nurtured by magical powers. Her honey-like hair, resembling Annette¡¯s, still shone brilliantly, but it¡¯s been a long time since her pale green eyes had seen the world. ¡°She has become more beautiful than ever.¡± He remembered the first time he saw her. She was pregnant and about to give birth. In his ¡®casted¡¯ eyes, there was a strong and radiant soul. She had a pretty useful child. Gerard, then a boy, had pursued her obsessively. It was so confusing whether he wanted the child or the widow who lost her husband on the battlefield. He didn¡¯t mean to hurt her at first. ¡°The child¡¯s soul is special. If she promises to become my strength after awakening in the future¡­ It guarantees a future that couldn¡¯t be more brilliant for the duke and the child.¡± Since she was a woman who was pregnant with a child without a husband, he thought she would be shaken. But she was very strong. ¡°Prince, I will let my child live the life she wants.¡± She protectively wrapped her round belly and firmly refused. ¡°This child is neither my possession nor the prince¡¯s tool. Please leave.¡± Gerard eventually cursed her. He did suffer a deep blow himself because he couldn¡¯t properly handle the powers of Ven¨¦num, but he just had to have the child and his anger was great. ¡®How dare. You.¡¯ After that, the duke, who had been weakening day by day, barely gave birth and collapsed unconscious. Gerard took the duke¡¯s newborn baby away when she fell, but left her breathing. Ven¨¦num asked, [Why are you keeping that duke alive? Gerard.] ¡°If her first daughter is trash that can¡¯t awaken¡­ I¡¯ll have to use that woman as a field to cultivate a wonderful soul.¡± Gerard was already a monster, not a boy. Crazed by entitlement from birth, he became dirty and uglier with growth. His eyes gleamed in the darkness. ¡°The Duke of Valienne.¡± Gerard grabbed a handful of her hair, barely exhaling. ¡°Your daughter has wonderfully awakened Exordium. I finally got my hands on her. Very¡­ It took a long time.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Darling to smell the scent of her hair, Gerard¡¯s eyes glistened with glee. ¡°You should have listened to me sooner.¡± ¡®If you did, you and your daughter would have enjoyed wealth and fame in my arms.¡¯ ¡®You¡¯re so stupid to end up like this.¡¯ ¡°Your daughter will eventually come to El Dorado, but she will not see her mother alive for a second.¡± The twinkling eyes looked down at the unconscious woman in front of him. ¡°¡ªYou will die.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Annette had awakened, so there was no need for a good field any more. It was right to remove any buds that could get in the way. Susu¡ª Red energy from Gerard¡¯s hand seeped into her forehead. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The Duke of Valienne, who was lying like a corpse, gasped slightly. ¡°You¡¯re stupid.¡± Gerard shook his head coldly. ¡°If you had accepted my offer and my heart, you could have become the Empress.¡± He took the duke¡¯s breath and disappeared from the room as naturally as a snake. The fact that an outsider had entered or left the duke¡¯s room, no one in the ducal residence knew. Like, a human without life force. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°Sister.¡± ¡°Oh, what a surprise!¡± When I was almost at the destination, the door of the carriage opened again and someone came in. ¡ªIt was Heinrich. ¡®¡­Is it so easy to get on a moving carriage?¡¯ ¡®Who¡¯s next, Kyle?¡¯ I automatically turned inward this time, and looked out the window. ¡°Heinrich, is this carriage just pretending to move?¡± ¡°Why¡­?¡± The beautiful eyes narrowed. The girl shook her head in surprise. ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡®What do you mean ¡®Nothing¡¯? Sister.¡¯ ¡®I smell that beast in here. Also from you.¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s unpleasant.¡¯ ¡°¡­I came in because I have motion sickness. Sister.¡± Heinrich fell into Annette¡¯s arms and filled it with his own fragrant body scent. As if re-marking the area. Annette¡¯s expression suddenly became worried. ¡°My baby, are you sick again? I should have brought motion sickness medicine. I didn¡¯t know that you¡¯re coming too¡­¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Breathing impurely in the warm embrace of Annette, the teary purple eyes gazed up at her silently. ¡°Since Sister is hugging me, it hurts a little less.¡± ¡°Really? Thank god¡­¡± Annette swept Heinrich¡¯s back. Like patting. ¡®Sister, do you know?¡¯ Most of these touches were so sweet. But sometimes they were very annoying. A hand that casually touched him like a child. Actually, he wanted her to feel nervous and scared at times even at the slightest moment she reached him. ¡®I know how to do that.¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Long, white fingers gently caressed her forearm. ¡®If I just change my touch a little¡­¡¯ ¡®¡­You¡¯ll be red all over.¡¯ Heinrich, who had a black heart, looked at Annette and smiled like an angel. ¡°Sister, didn¡¯t Sislin propose to you? He said to marry him and sort this out, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± Annette blinked. She couldn¡¯t lie, looking like a rabbit caught eating carrots secretly and wondering, ¡®How did you know?¡¯ Heinrich chuckled. There was no way that bastard would miss this golden opportunity¡ª That was what Heinrich thought. ¡°Sister, deciding on something as important as marriage to get through this crisis¡­ It¡¯s kind of weird.¡± ¡°Right. You¡¯re right.¡± Annette nodded her head. Heinrich dropped his head off her shoulder and gently grabbed her hands¡ª ¡°But there is no way of avoiding the register of adoption as surely as marriage.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Conflict appeared in Annette¡¯s eyes. Without missing the gap, Heinrich dug in. ¡°Then how about having a ¡®contract marriage¡¯ with me?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Marry me. I will divorce you in a year.¡± CH 108 His beautiful purple eyes fluttered innocently. ¡°Marriage to the Marquis of Winston or the Crown Prince is burdensome. Because that marriage is for a ¡®lifetime¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°But if you marry and divorce me a year later, the matter becomes simpler.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Annette¡¯s eyes widened slightly. Heinrich internally swallowed a pleasant laugh. ¡®That¡¯s right¡­¡¯ ¡®Come here, Annette.¡¯ The fair and hard fox¡¯s hand gently grabbed the rabbit¡¯s hand and slowly approached it. ¡°And wouldn¡¯t you be most comfortable living with me? It¡¯s me, Sister, it¡¯s Heinrich.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Think about how we lived in the Forest, Sister. You just have to live like that for a year.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Annette nodded. The handsome man with his beautifully shining eyes, an arrogantly soaring nose, and deep red lips smiled softly. As if charming her. ¡°After the divorce, Sister is free to find another marriage partner.¡± ¡®You won¡¯t be free, Annette.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ll recommend a good marriage match.¡± ¡®If you find another man, you won¡¯t be able to find him the next day.¡¯ ¡®Not anywhere in this world.¡¯ ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Annette seemed to be deep in thought. Heinrich¡¯s smile grew deeper as their eyes met and he put on the very face of purity itself. ¡°¡­That¡¯s a good suggestion, Heinrich.¡± Alas, the rabbit was caught. An incomparable thrill passed through Heinrich¡¯s purple eyes. ¡°But.¡± ¡­Why? ¡°Sorry! I will decline your favor.¡± ¡°Why? Why are you saying no?¡± Annette replied, raising her index finger. ¡°In the novels I read, the main characters always couldn¡¯t get a divorce when they got into a ¡®contract marriage¡¯! The other party just ripped up the divorce papers and that¡¯s it.¡± Heinrich¡¯s twinkling eyes instantly became confused like a cat that had its snack stolen. ¡°¡­Uh? What does that mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, please leave.¡± Tak! Opening the door, Annette proudly revealed the outside of the carriage, pointing her index finger at it and ordered. The carriage was still running at great speed. It was so fast that it sounded like, ¡®I¡¯m sorry, please die!¡¯. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°Wow¡­!¡± As soon as I arrived in El Dorado, I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off the window. ¡®I¡¯m back here after 10 years.¡¯ I had always lived in the Forest, so I didn¡¯t have many opportunities to see the downtown area. ¡®The atmosphere is the same.¡¯ The fresh air of El Dorado, stylishly dressed people, and shops that were more professional and colorful than the ones on Bayonaire Island; I often missed these. Even just looking out the carriage window, the whole street was so gorgeous that I was losing my mind. ¡®Wait, I am completely forgetting the purpose of coming here.¡¯ Soon after, the carriage arrived at the residence of the Duke of Valienne. ¨DI had contacted them in advance on the way (Sislin did it for me). It would be difficult for an ordinary person to make an appointment after notifying that the visit would be on the same day, but the crown prince¡¯s authority was different. ¡°Your Highness the Crown Prince, it is an honor to have you visit. Please eat inside.¡± The gatekeepers who confirmed Sislin¡¯s identity opened the residence¡¯s gate wide. Then a vast garden appeared. ¡®¡­It¡¯s so spacious and beautiful!¡¯ There must be a separate castle for the duke, but the price of the ducal residence in the capital was of this size. The tall ornamental trees were neatly landscaped enough to put the mind at ease, and seasonal flowers were fragrantly blooming nearby. In the center, a huge stone fountain spewed a stream of water that was transparent like a grain of glass, creating a faint rainbow in the fresh air. ¡®Even though the duke is lying down, the mansion is well taken care of.¡¯ This meant that the loyalties of the servants were high, and the duke¡¯s finances were still strong. As I prepared to get off the carriage, I saw the family emblem engraved on the gate. ¡®The Goddess of goodness and kindness, Valienne.¡¯ She was hugging a bunch of flowers in full bloom with her eyes closed and lowered. The Duchy of Valienne was the only one who had the image of a noble God rather than an animal engraved on the family emblem. Click¡ª As soon as the carriage door opened, I couldn¡¯t help but be surprised. ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± ¡ªSislin, Heinrich, and Kyle were standing outside my carriage in that order. ¡®Why? Why are you all standing here?¡¯ ¡®A little¡­ It¡¯s burdensome.¡¯ ¡°Annette.¡± ¡°Sister!¡± ¡°Owner¡­¡± At the same time, all three held out their hands. ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± My pupils shook. It would be catastrophic no matter whose hand I hold. ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡®I actually don¡¯t appreciate it at all, you idiots.¡¯ After a moment of deep hesitation, I grabbed Kyle¡¯s hand (which seemed to be the safest). Because it was the hand of the sweet gentleman who didn¡¯t break into the carriage. In an instant, Sislin¡¯s eyes hardened with desperation, and Heinrich glared at Kyle openly with an absolutely sullen face. In the end, he hissed out. ¡°Tch. Why did you follow us all the way here? ¡­Should¡¯ve stayed at Bayonaire and eaten rags.¡± ¡°Heinrich.¡± When I gave an indication that I was watching Heinrich, Kyle answered without even blinking an eye. ¡°I am the one who brought Miss Annette here. Isn¡¯t the Grand Duke the ¡®extra¡¯?¡± ¡°What?! Extra?¡± As Heinrich flared up, I got out of the carriage and fell naturally between the two of them. ¡°This is it, the residence of the Duke of Valienne. The Duke has been ill for a long time, and she may be my mother.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Then the two men who were at odds with each other quickly became quiet. Clearly, they seemed to have recognized that it was a place where there should never be a fuss. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± In the meantime, Sislin naturally grabbed my hand (Kyle was taken aback with his eyes wide open), leading me. I stopped in place. ¡°No. It would be a burden for three people ranging from the imperial family to great nobility to visit.¡± ¡°If¡­¡± ¡°I will visit with just Marquis Winston.¡± Just as Heinrich was about to say something, I added quickly. ¡°Please let me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°The two of you, go to the respective locations in El Dorado, and take a look at Prince Gerard.¡± This was also very important. I drove a wedge. ¡°If the Duke is my mother, I would like to meet her as quietly as possible.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Sislin and Heinrich, who would normally have opposed the visit with only Kyle, had no choice but to keep their mouths shut. Finally, Sislin nodded first. Then Heinrich said bluntly. ¡°I can¡¯t help it.¡± ¡°Thank you both so much for understanding.¡± Then Heinrich slipped next to Kyle¡¯s ear and whispered, his eyes containing killing intent. And so softly that Annette couldn¡¯t hear it. ¡°If you seduce Sister when she is vulnerable, you¡¯ll die.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a mean imagination that only a cunning person would do.¡± Green eyes looked at him with contempt. ¡®Look at this bastard.¡¯ Heinrich¡¯s red lips twitched. He vowed to kill that hypocritical bastard who only pretended to be good in front of Annette. ¡®I¡¯ll do that soon.¡¯ ¡°Then, shall we go in together? Owner.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Kyle escorted her to the duke. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ The reason for choosing Kyle was simple. He knew the locket best, and he was the only gentleman who didn¡¯t want to use my circumstances to push for a marriage. ¡ªAnd somehow, he was the warmest. ¡®If she¡¯s really my mother¡­¡¯ If Duke Valienne was really my lost mother, I thought I would feel a lot of hurt today. She hadn¡¯t been conscious since she gave birth. ¡®The servants may despise me.¡¯ It was clear that Duke Valienne was a wonderful person who was respected. Just look at the immaculately maintained mansion she was lying in. Wasn¡¯t that a common story? If someone who was loved died or became unconscious while giving birth, the child would be thought of as ¡®born by devouring¡¯. If I had to check on my mother while enduring those glances¡­ ¡­Even for a moment. I wanted a comfortable and warm person by my side. ¡°You are nervous, Owner.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Feeling cold sweat forming, I rubbed my hands against the hem of my dress. Kyle clasped my hand. ¡°It will be fine.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to be too nervous.¡± That strong voice relieved my tension at least slightly. I mustered up the courage and nodded my head. Then I sent a message to the servant who guided us from the gate. ¡°Please tell them that we have arrived.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The man politely contacted the inside. And after a while. The door opened from inside and a woman appeared. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡®It¡¯s not how I thought the butler will look like?¡¯ I vaguely imagined that it would be a gentle, old man in a uniform. Not a young woman with her hair in a ponytail. In her wrinkle-free attire, the feeling emanating from her eyeglasses was very sword-like. In this situation, the mere sight of her made me feel discouraged. ¡®I know who manages the house.¡¯ ¡°Welcome. I am Victoria Shimmers, the butler of the Duchy of Valienne.¡± A husky voice, correct pronunciation. ¡°Are you from the Crown Prince¡¯s party?¡± ¡°Yes, but we are the only ones here. This is Marquis Winston, and I am Annette.¡± Kyle seemed to be purposely waiting for me to speak. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The butler¡¯s arched eyebrows rose high. It was a very suspicious look. I took an old chain out of my pocket and showed it. A locket that shines and spins from an old chain. That moment. The strict butler¡¯s expression softened slightly. ¡°I heard that my mother left this for me. Do you know anything about this?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± She stared at the flashing locking for a moment, seemingly feeling something indescribable. Then she looked at me. For a long time. Perhaps my face resembled the duke¡¯s. The husky voice that came out again contained more emotions than before. ¡°The Duke once said. Someday, the lady will come with that ¡®locket¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Soon, she took a step back. The tightly guarded door to the ducal mansion immediately opened wide. Led by the butler, the guards and the servants, who put their hands together like knives in their lower abdomen, bowed deeply from both sides. ¡°Welcome, my lady.¡± Ame: having a foot massage right now and trying not to cry and scream at the same time TT_TT WELCOME BACK, TASSIE!! It¡¯s been lonely without you around! Tassie: HOLY SHIT IT¡¯S HAPPENING!!! Also poor sisl ;-; got rejected (I wonder if you can guess who I¡¯m biased towards :kek:) CH 109 ¡®Lady¡­?¡¯ The first thing that came to my mind was bewilderment. ¡®Am I really the daughter of this house?¡¯ To me, having a family felt so unfamiliar. A strange trembling and overwhelming emotion swept through my heart first, followed by great confusion. ¡®I¡¯ve only been living as a bread lover.¡¯ ¡®Or orphan.¡¯ Even in the novel, I was an insignificant extra. I thought I was living a life that had no presence. From the time I was accidentally hit by a drunk motorcyclist and died as an orphan, even after possessing a character¡­ It was just that kind of life. ¡®¡­But I am actually a great noble, with a mother waiting for me?¡¯ Besides, everyone welcomed me like this. ¡®It¡¯s too unrealistic.¡¯ I held the locket in my hand and froze for a moment. Right before entering, I felt like I was going to be kicked out and scolded for coming to the wrong place at any moment. It was then. I heard a voice that seemed to gently stroke my back. ¡°Miss Annette, you may go in.¡± Kyle¡¯s warm hand guided me. When I looked at him, his eyes that were as green and fresh looked at me and curved sweetly. He had on a smile that was familiar and reassuring. ¡°Yes, Kyle.¡± I finally stepped inside, following the path made by the guards and servants. As soon as I entered, I was utterly amazed by the splendid interior. Expensive carpets were spread on the floor, tapestry paintings that hung on the walls were exquisitely detailed, and mysterious artifacts adorned the vast area. Plus, the ceiling chandelier! I forgot to look for my mother and stared up at the ceiling in admiration. Beneath the craftsmanship of the ceiling mural, the huge chandelier that shone over me glittered like a diamond. ¡®Or¡­ Are there real diamonds?¡¯ The butler spoke politely, pointing her gloved hand to the stairs inside. ¡°Come this way.¡± It was said that I originated from a prestigious family, but I was overwhelmed by the energy that the ducal residence with years of age exuded, so I answered in a small voice without realizing it. ¡°T-Thank you.¡± ¡°¨DPlease call me Victoria, my lady. And please feel free to speak.¡± Victoria, who I thought was strict and sharp, looked at me affectionately. ¡°I am the lady¡¯s servant.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± I barely nodded my head. ¡°Can I speak comfortably after I get used to it? It¡¯s only been a minute since I became a lady after living as a commoner.¡± Victoria smiled a little at my words. ¡®You were the kind of person who could laugh.¡¯ ¡°The lady should do whatever the lady wants to do.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡®I guess she¡¯s kinder than she looks.¡¯ Or she was kind only to those she thought were her family (the way she greeted me at the entrance was frankly like a lion). As I went up the spiral staircase, I saw large picture frames on the wall of the staircase. Without realizing it, I stopped walking and stared blankly at it. ¨DAre these portraits of the past dukes? Just as expected. ¡°These are portraits of the Dukes of Valienne.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Looking at those portraits, I felt something sinking in. The successive dukes, both male and female, had blonde hair like honey and light green eyes. I pointed to the latest hanging portrait of a woman. ¡°¡­Maybe that one¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± With a proud expression on her face, Victoria pointed to the portrait with her hand. ¡°This is Duchess Derkis Valienne. She is the lady¡¯s mother.¡± I could tell just by looking at it. How much the butler trusted and followed her master. ¡°She was a very nice and respected person. She was kind to her subordinates, and she was always wise.¡± Victoria¡¯s brown eyes even showed a slight longing. My light green eyes also stayed on the portrait for a long time. ¡®I look like her.¡¯ ¡®When I¡¯m a little older, will I be like that? I kinda wanted to.¡¯ ¡°¡­Is she unconscious right now?¡± There was a deep sadness in the butler¡¯s eyes. Those eyes that look at me¡­ It was the moment I realized that it was pity. I was faced with a shocking reality. ¡°The Duchess went into an eternal sleep this morning.¡± ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ The room was filled with fragrant flowers to commemorate the dead. I approached the bed that had a completely lifeless face. There, there was a woman with a calm face as if she was sleeping, her honey-like hair neatly laid down. She really looked like she was just asleep. This person¡­ ¡®¡­My mother.¡¯ She had a much thinner face than the one I had seen in the portrait. Strangely, my heart throbbed at that fact. Even though she was the mother I had never seen before. Kyle grabbed my hand and squeezed it. The butler, standing behind us, said to her old master. ¡°Duchess, the lady has come to see you.¡± But there was no answer from the dead. An empty void hung over us. Breaking through the emptiness, the butler continued speaking politely. ¡°We servants took care of everything, thinking that our master would pass at any time.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You lasted longer than expected. You¡¯ve been getting weaker day by day.¡± So it was. The servants did not look very sad. They must have spent many days contemplating the death of their master. However, contrary to what I thought, the butler¡¯s eyes, which I thought were cold for a moment, turned red. ¡°If only you had survived another half a day.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I wish you could have exchanged greetings with the lady.¡± There seemed to be an emotion Victoria could not bear even after she had cleared her mind countless times. ¡®It wasn¡¯t that she wasn¡¯t sad.¡¯ Everyone must be holding it in. She must be more attached to the duchess than me, her daughter. ¡°Hand¡­ Would you like to hold it?¡± At Victoria¡¯s suggestion, I slowly reached out and grabbed my mother¡¯s hand. ¡ªThat was it. My heart only had emotions that were difficult to describe, but I did not feel any affection or sadness. I just felt the unfamiliarity of a cold body temperature. This was the ¡®mother¡¯ I saw for the first time. Even though she was my family that I longed for. ¡°May I know how I ended up parting with my mother?¡± The only child she had with the man she loved. The first child. I had never had children, but I had an idea how precious it must have been. She wouldn¡¯t be able to part easily. ¡°I think my mother expected the parting. She had bought the lockets at auction ahead of time and put it in her daughter¡¯s cradle.¡± Victoria¡¯s eyes widened for a moment. ¡°¡­That¡¯s right, my lady.¡± She continued. ¡°Duchess Valienne knew in advance that her child was in danger of being ¡®taken away¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± She knew she would be robbed? She didn¡¯t throw me away or lose me for some reason? ¡°She often said that there was someone after her child. So when the birth drew near, she had frequent nervous breakdowns.¡± Shocking words followed. ¡°However, even after giving birth safely, the Duchess was conscious. In fact, even after the lady was ¡®stolen¡¯, her mind was still intact for a day. She had prepared a lot in that short time.¡± ¡°She was robbed¡­?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The baby could only be described as ¡®stolen¡¯. Victoria¡¯s brown eyes, as if looking back to the distant past for a moment, were out of focus. ¡°That night, without anyone knowing, someone hid inside the ducal mansion. Even though she was escorted by double or triple escorts for fear of losing the lady.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± It was said that a ¡®shadow¡¯ appeared when the moonlight hit the room where the mother and the baby were resting. The shadow wrapped its body around the child and took it away. ¨DThat black snake. ¡°The culprit was a ¡®black snake¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± A black snake? Not even a person? Perhaps, since it¡¯s not even human, it could have penetrated the vicious escorts in the duchy and stolen the baby. ¡°All the escorts guarding the room were dead.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°If she hadn¡¯t put the ¡®locket¡¯ in the lady¡¯s wrap in advance, she wouldn¡¯t never have been able to find you again.¡± I heard something strange. I asked quietly. ¡°I know she told people around that she had a ¡®stillbirth¡¯. Why? ¡­If she said she lost me, she might have found me sooner.¡± ¡°She was afraid that the one who took the lady would hide deeper and deeper, and she would not be able to find you forever.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why the Duchess seems to have sent a message that she was giving up her child. But all of a sudden her body became really bad.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± Without realizing it, I was biting my lips. I could feel Kyle clenching his fist next to me. If she had already put the locket in the fabric wrapped around the child, she would have been pretty much obsessed with the thought that it might be taken away. Who was it? A cruel man who terrified my mother to the point she even sent a fake message that she was giving up the baby she had given birth to. ¡°Do you know who threatened to take the child from her mother?¡± Victoria sighed, as if it was difficult to even pronounce the name. ¡°Gerard, it¡¯s the prince.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± It was the moment when the strangely disorganized puzzles found their place and were tightly aligned. I felt dizzy. ¨DA perfect prince who wouldn¡¯t get a single scratch even if a mother shouted that her child had been taken away by him. Gerard¡­ ¡®You¡¯ve been targeting me since I was in the womb!¡¯ My mother was unfamiliar, and my emotions were dull, so I didn¡¯t feel much closeness. But the vivid rage that filled my head was so hot. ¡®It was all because of Gerard.¡¯ Sending a team of trackers to Bayonaire Island to harm the people I love. It was not just that. He was the one who separated me from my mother. It was no coincidence that he met me when I first went out for socialization training in the Forest. The bitter taste of blood came from my bitten lips, and even my fingertips were trembling. ¡°While the Duchess was still conscious, she left a letter.¡± Victoria placed a letter carefully wrapped in a cloth on a tray and held it to me. I opened the letter with her trembling hands. ¡¸My daughter, I don¡¯t know when you will read this letter. Sorry. You must have come to my mansion after living a very lonely and difficult life. It¡¯s all mom¡¯s fault. I¡¯m really sorry. My dear sweetheart. The nine months with you were the happiest period of my life. My other half, my daughter, my first love. It hurts so much that I lost you after not being able to breastfeed you once. Even when I¡¯m dying, I have only one wish. At the moment my life permits, I want to see you just one time. ¡­Can my wish come true? My baby that¡¯s like my heart. I will always be by your side so that your life is not too cold or lonely. Always¡­¡¹ The letter no longer continued. I thought I knew why. The consciousness of the person who wrote this letter must have disappeared quickly. It seemed as if her hands had gradually lost strength, as the further she wrote, the more blurred and disorganized the writing was. Touk, tuk¡ª It wasn¡¯t until I heard something fall that I realized I was crying. With vague longing and bursting sadness, I rubbed my face with my sleeping mother¡¯s hands. My mother smelled of warm sunlight. It smelled like old nostalgia. ¡°Mother¡­¡± I was an overwhelmingly loved daughter. CH 110 Annette couldn¡¯t put the letter down. ¡°It¡¯s my fault.¡± Her eyes looked empty. ¡°I should have investigated the locket ahead of time and found my mother. My mother must have been lying here helplessly, waiting for me¡­¡± Touk, tuk. Tears fell helplessly from her light green eyes. A letter from a mother filled with desperate love, probably written with a dying spirit; which was why it was written a little haphazardly. She was speaking calmly, but was unable to contain her sorrow. ¡°If I had come earlier, maybe¡­ Maybe this death could have been prevented.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°In the end, you died because of me.¡± Annette¡¯s tone was calm, but it was full of sharp remorse and cold criticism at herself. Maybe she was just too used to being an orphan. If one was born with a certain unhappiness, and repeated that life twice, one would come to think of that ¡®misery¡¯ as their ¡®default value¡¯ embedded in life. If she didn¡¯t do that, then the thorn in her life would pierce her so painfully. So, it was natural that she was alone. She hoped she wouldn¡¯t die in disappointment while actively and hopefully looking for her parents like in her previous life. She might have been thinking like that without realizing it. Then, Kyle grabbed Annette¡¯s hand. She was trembling to the point that he couldn¡¯t just watch. Kyle told her. ¡°The locket appeared normal to anyone looking at it.¡± No, it was rather ordinary, or less than that. A locket made of old wood, without even a photo. Until it shined, it actually looked like garbage. In the first place, it was hard to have hope that she would find her parents with such a common thing. ¡°I would have too.¡± ¨DAs the head of a guild, his judgment was the same. ¡°To begin with, this locket only becomes special when the person¡¯s life is at stake. So even if we had known in advance, the result would not have been different.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± But it seemed that his words did not take away the sharp reproach. Annette¡¯s little body was still trembling, and her lips were still being bitten painfully. Kyle felt sorry for her cold heart. She, who always warmly comforted others, seemed to not treat herself the same way. ¡°Owner, you¡¯re just¡­ you¡¯re sad.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been living alone all your life, and you just realized that your mother, who you had barely found, died right before your eyes.¡± Kyle went down on one of his knees and made eye contact with Annette¡¯s wet eyes. ¡°So, do not punish yourself by forcing blame onto yourself for this sorrow.¡± The true identity of those feelings of remorse and regret was, in fact, sadness. ¡°Just¡­ You are free to grieve.¡± As Kyle warmly wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her into her arms, Annette cried. Like a 12-year-old girl who lost her parents¡¯ touch. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°My lady, we have prepared something for you. Would you like to see it?¡± ¡°Yes, please show me.¡± After going through a storm of emotions and calming down a bit, Victoria spoke to me. She led me to a large doorway. ¡°The Duchess commanded me to have these ready while she was still conscious.¡± ¡®Mom¡­ for me?¡¯ The huge, well-maintained door opened so gently that not a single creak of the hinges could be heard. My eyes widened as I looked inside. ¡®I¡¯ve never seen anything like this in my life.¡¯ The room was very well organized, but it was shiny overall. ¡®Oh, this is all¡­¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s all for her daughter, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ Victoria said. ¡°These are the things that the lady should have if she had been brought up in this mansion. All the gifts from the age of one to last year¡¯s birthday are also here.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± It felt like a store in a fantasy. The kind of store I wished and dreamed of when I was very young. There was a little doll at the front. It was a small rabbit doll that a child could play with. Little by little, as we went inside, I saw dresses suitable for a 3-year-old and 5-year-old girl. Along with cute shoes. ¡®She didn¡¯t know when I would come back, so she prepared everything one by one¡­¡¯ Holding a locket that only knew life or death, she thought about the growth of a child that was hard to remember every year. I touched the items that came from my mother¡¯s affection one by one with my fingertips. I felt like I was going to cry all the time. To a three-year-old toddler daughter, a curious 7-year-old daughter, and a pretty girly 12-year-old daughter. ¨DTo the daughter who became an adult and a young lady. All the gifts that Mom would have wanted to give were in this room. ¡°¡­I am crying a lot today.¡± ¡°Put away your tears, my lady. Today is not a sad day for me.¡± Victoria looked at me and smiled softly. ¡°It¡¯s the day my new master, the duchess, has come.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Perhaps it was not only my mother who was waiting for me. Contrary to my expectation that she would resent me as my mother was sick because of me, I felt that the people of this duchy had been eagerly waiting for me to return. It was not prepared just because it¡¯s the master¡¯s orders¡­ This room was full of love. When I felt their invisible support, the wick stood firm in my shriveled heart. ¡°Yes. Victoria.¡± I answered with courage and smiled, facing her. ¡®It¡¯s like traveling in time.¡¯ I felt sincerity and welcome in this room, and my heart was touched with every step I took. The huge room was endless. As we walked inward, there were luxuriously sparkling jewels and gorgeous dresses that an adult ducal lady could have. There was so much prepared that it would be no problem at all to make a debut in the social world as it is. And at the end of the room. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Inside the glass casing of the decorative cabinet was the real gift that Duchess Valienne had handed down to me. It was the seal of ¡®Valienne¡¯. The storm-like mind became cold, and the judgment of the situation was completed in an instant. Well, I was usually good at adapting. ¡ªGreat. Let¡¯s decide here. I chose a gorgeous red dress like a freshly bloomed flower. ¡°I will do this.¡± Then I turned to Victoria and smiled. ¡°My battle suit.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Victoria looked at me with a vague expression and narrowed her eyes. Raising the corners of my lips, I asked. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell anyone that I am here, did you?¡± ¡°Of course, my lady.¡± ¡°Please keep it a secret for a while more. I want to let ¡®Gerard¡¯ know in the best way possible¡± ¡°Ah¡­!¡± Victoria seemed very happy with the ducal princess¡¯s harsh words and fighting spirit. She smiled as she curved her sharply raised eyes. ¡°I will do as you command.¡± ¨DIt was her first order from the new master of Valienne. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°You have been through a lot. Congratulations, Prince.¡± Avilus politely bowed. His master¡¯s happiness was his own happiness. There was a little rapture on his face. ¡°You¡¯re finally getting your hands on that girl today.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± More than 10 years had passed. The girl he worked so hard to finally get his hands on. The joy Gerard felt today was nothing compared to Avilus¡¯. Gerrard twisted his lips into a smirk as he put on his uniform. Unlike the buttons, which were fastened up to the neck with asceticism, he had a smile containing vivid desire to the point of pain. It was akin to the feeling of a beast in front of a piece of meat that had been smoked for the past few days. Every day, he awaited predation. ¡°I want to see that girl¡¯s face soon.¡± Hurried steps got off the dazzling carriage, and he walked to the banquet hall. This banquet was held by Gerard specifically for ¡®his daughter¡¯. In particular, all the nobles were gathered.. Usually, ¡®official registration¡¯ was completed by quietly calling a high-ranking official to process the documents, but he was not doing that because he wanted to show everyone. Now, who did Annette belong to? The prince who longed for her, the eccentric great archmage, and the guard dog who stood by her would all become chicken chasing dogs. This banquet was like a seal of his possessiveness. ¡°Prince Gerard has arrived!¡± As soon as he entered, all eyes were on him. On the contrary, Gerard¡¯s red eyes were fixed on a single woman. The figure of a woman came in through his retinas and formed a clear image. Her sharply raised eyes, glittering gold hair as if scattered fragments of sunlight, cute lips and smooth ivory skin. She was very refreshing. Like a flower that bursts into spring for the first time after a long winter. The girl who narrowly escaped from his arms more than a decade ago was already in full bloom and facing him. His heart fluttered, it really did. Maniac possessiveness and revenge that were engraved on his bones were boiling hot. ¨DHe longed to see that white, harmless face distorted by fear and frustration. ¡°Annette, you are here.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Gerard didn¡¯t even bother hiding his secret. The dark heart was transparent in his eyes. Annette was staring at him, without even daring to say hello. Hwak!! At that moment, Gerard grabbed Annette¡¯s arm in one motion, brought his lips to her ear, and hissed lowly. ¡°How does it feel to run away and be dragged back like a dog? ¡­I hope you have the same feelings as I did 10 years ago. You insolent bitch.¡± Suddenly, he could feel the small body that was grabbed by him shaking. Gerrard exhaled lower and continued drearily. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for today, my daughter.¡± He wanted to see her scared face in a hurry. It was when he dropped her body and turned his head. Hwak. Annette grabbed his collar and pulled him closer, looking straight into his eyes. Her pale green eyes narrowed as she whispered. ¡°Thank you, Father. I have been waiting for this day.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± There was no fear in her eyes. Instead, he caught a glimpse of the fighting spirit of one that was trying to beat the wild beast that was attacking. The girl he was harassing had grown into a strong and tough woman. CH 111 Gerard¡¯s brow twitched. ¡®What is this pressure?¡¯ ¡®Why are you so confident? ¡­Is it a bluff?¡¯ This was beyond the ferocity he had seen in her childhood, and her posture itself was as sharp as a beast with its claws exposed. Gerard was unexpectedly flustered. Annette calmly let go of his collar (that was what Gerard was most embarrassed about) and greeted him with a smile. ¡°Thank you for inviting me, Prince.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± A vein rose on Gerard¡¯s forehead. Belatedly, a sense of shame filled his throat. The fact that he was just embarrassed in front of everyone by that little girl. Then he bit his lips and smiled. ¡®¡­Yes, struggle even more. The stiffer the head, the greater the feeling of being trampled on.¡¯ ¡®You¡¯re done here anyway, bitch.¡¯ A perfect prince who was revered like a saint, with no blemish in his reputation. No matter what such a prince does to his adopted daughter, it would never come to the surface. It was tiring to live hypocritically, but his ¡®perfect reputation¡¯ had great power. ¡ªPublic opinion had always been on his side. She must have realized that she had no place to escape due to the attack on Bayonaire Island, and even if she had to become his daughter, she had no choice but to obey. If not, she wouldn¡¯t be able to live and breathe properly in this El Dorado. ¡®If I could just gain that power, then even the Crown Prince cannot be my opponent.¡¯ With that power, He would be able to Annette too. Since Ven¨¦num¡¯s power was ¡®mind control¡¯ and ¡®time¡¯. After that, there would be no enemies. A life that was born lowly, but died while reigning supreme in a higher position than anyone else. The final puzzle that would fulfill that desire was right in front of him. His bright, rosy eyes stared at Annette¡¯s neck as if he was about to bite her. ¡®Well, you are full of poison.¡¯ The puzzle piece wore a red dress and bloomed brightly like a rose. ¡­Meant to be shredded today and held in the palm of his hand. ¡®I miss seeing your desperate face already.¡¯ The pursed lips twisted. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ In the banquet hall, whispers about the ¡®red flower¡¯ that suddenly appeared were in full swing. ¡°Is that woman ¡®Annette¡¯?¡± ¡°¡­She looks beautiful. But she seems more ordinary than expected.¡± ¡°I know right. She is favored by His Highness the Crown Prince and His Excellency the Grand Duke. I thought she would be even more special because Prince Gerard also wanted to adopt her.¡± ¡°I heard it¡¯s for revenge rather than favoritism?¡± ¡°Revenge?!¡± The young nobleman nodded to the surprised lady. ¡°There are a lot of rumors that the Crown Prince and the Grand Duke both came from an illegal child care facility called the ¡®Forest¡¯.¡± The forest had been closed for a long time now, but the rumors did not disappear and it was still being talked about. The eyes of nobles glanced at Annette suspiciously. ¡°It¡¯s said she made an ugly mistake in there and ran away.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°That¡¯s why she ran away despite the prince¡¯s application for adoption.¡± ¡°Oh my gosh! But now she has come and shamelessly appeared to be part of the imperial family!¡± The young lord snorted. ¡°Isn¡¯t she just a commoner girl? Without a drop of noble blood mixed. Being such a lowly girl, she must be brazen.¡± ¡°Oh my goodness.¡± Drunk on good gossip, the lady rolled her eyes and covered her mouth with her fan, laughing. ¡°Could it be slave blood? Crazy.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± At that moment, the eyes of the lady and man met cold purple eyes beneath silver hair. The lady gasped and shut her mouth. But they weren¡¯t the only ones. Everyone in this banquet hall was never in favor of Annette. Despite the fact that the crown prince and grand duke were involved, rumors about a commoner who suddenly appeared and wanted to become the prince¡¯s daughter were spreading. ¨DIn many ways, it was none other than Gerard who ignited the well-dried firewood that was good for creating a mouthful. ¡°Spread the rumors. Put her in a corner.¡± He was good at public opinion warfare, and he was also good at gathering up the rumbling rumors and deciding who to throw stones at. Since she was 12-years-old, her temper had been ugly, Irresponsible enough to run away. And after becoming an adult, for her own benefit, she shamelessly set out to become the prince¡¯s daughter. ¡ªThat was the identity of Annette created by Gerard. ¡°She¡¯s just a livestock on a leash. The more isolated she is, the better she will listen to me.¡± This headline appeared in the daily newspaper today. ¡¸Prince Gerard: ¡°I¡¯ll gladly accept the returned prodigal child as my daughter¡±¡¹ Gerard wrapped himself in hypocrisy and assumed the position of a generous and perfect prince. ¡°Sister.¡± Heinrich¡¯s face was pale. There was a deepened accumulation of anger that he had barely endured from before. ¡°Can I keep all those mouths shut? ¡­Everyone talks without knowing anything. Just leave it to me, please.¡± ¡°Heinrich.¡± Annette looked at him calmly. ¡°No matter what happens today, don¡¯t come forward.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Because this is my fight.¡± In an instant, Heinrich read a deep, hot fire in her eyes. He was even taken aback, as it was an expression he had never seen on her before. After a while, Heinrich blushed and whispered to her. ¡°Sister. How sexy.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± It was at the time when Annette looked at Heinrich with astonished eyes. Dang¨C Dang¨C Dang¨C The bell of the banquet hall rang, and the high priest sat in the highest seat. ¡°Today is the day of celebration in which a pitiful woman who has lived a lonely life finally finds her father and becomes ¡®Annette von Axelferion¡¯. It should be recorded and remain in history.¡± The nobles all respected the high priest and listened to him. ¡°God¡¯s blessings will be with you. Prince Gerard, are you ready to become a father?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The red eyes between the silver-gray hair were getting warmer. ¡°Of course. Ever since I saw her as a poor orphan, I wanted to make her my daughter. She still looks like a child to me.¡± He had terrifyingly friendly eyes. ¡°Although she has already grown up and I¡¯ve missed the joy of raising her, Annette¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I want to give my daughter a present to live a prosperous and happy life as a member of the imperial family.¡± A modest exclamation broke out among the nobles. It was indeed a reaction befitting of the prince. Everyone was talking about how generous he was, how perfect a prince he was. A warm smile spread and created wrinkled corners in the high priest¡¯s eyes. The old man also seemed to have been moved by Gerard¡¯s words. ¡°Then Miss Annette. Would you accept being ¡®Annette von Axelferion¡¯?¡± ¡ªOf course she will. Who would refuse the life of an imperial family member? But if she accepts it, wouldn¡¯t it be too blatant? After committing a crime and escaping, she came back to get the life of the imperial family by sticking to the generous prince. This time, eyes filled with displeasure focused on Annette. ¡°No. Please cancel the official enrolment.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± The audience was shocked and closed their mouths without a sound. And soon after, voices gathered into a buzz-like wave broke out. Gerard raised his eyebrows. ¡°Miss Annette, the is no joke. You can¡¯t just cancel it.¡± Annette smiled nonchalantly with her pale green eyes shining. ¡°According to the Imperial Adoption Law¡­!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Cancellation is possible in two cases.¡± All of a sudden, everyone was concentrating on her as if they were being sucked in. Annette continued, slowly making eye contact with them as if grabbing the crowd. ¡°First, when she has already formed a family and her own family exists. Second, when succeeding a ¡®title¡¯.¡± It was then. Tuk-tuk-tuk¡ª A huge man slowly walked up to Annette, parting the audience like a wave. It was the crown prince who was absent today. Sislin silently handed Annette a scroll of parchment. Chaaak! The parchment was spread out to the left without hesitation. Annette said, holding the parchment. ¡°I recently found my biological mother.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Wasn¡¯t she an orphan? The crowd roared a little again. ¡°That¡¯s right, she is ¡®Duchess Derkis Valienne¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­Then?!¡± The young lord, who called Annette a ¡®lowly girl¡¯, covered his mouth, and his complexion became stark white. The eyes of the lady, who thought Annette was of slavery, grew as if they would fall out at any moment. ¡°The Duchess of Valienne has unfortunately passed away¡­ Now, I am the new head of the Duchy of Valienne.¡± Tak¡ª A seal was stamped acknowledging that the ¡®head¡¯ of the Duchy of Valienne had been changed. It was the seal of the imperial family that Sislin possessed, with public confidence. Annette calmly put the signet ring she had inherited from her mother on her finger. ¡°What, nonsense¡­¡± Gerard¡¯s eyebrows furrowed openly. Before he could put on a mask of hypocrisy. It was the moment when the girl he thought he had managed to get his hands on was about to get out again. ¡®That brat has found her mother. That¡¯s why she¡¯s so arrogant.¡¯ Gerrard bowed his head for a moment, expressing his embarrassment, and then¡ª ¡°Hah.¡± He laughed. He couldn¡¯t resist and burst out laughing. Was that girl in high spirits with only that? It¡¯s pitiful because it¡¯s pitiful. ¡°Miss Annette.¡± Gerard¡¯s eyebrows twisted further as he opened his mouth. ¡°No, should I call you ¡®Duchess Valienne¡¯ now?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, however, the ¡®official registration¡¯ document was signed in the past. Today was just a formal procedure.¡± ¡°No way.¡± Heinrich¡¯s face flushed with agitation for an instant. Gerard¡¯s mean eyes grew even more intense. ¡®You didn¡¯t know this, brat.¡¯ ¡°About 10 years ago, when you ran away, I got the signature of an agent and already completed the official registration documents.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± ¡°Sir, please show us.¡± The high priest slowly showed the official documents. ¡ªThere it was. Really. The legit signature of a person sufficient to become Annette¡¯s guardian. It was the signature of . ¡°So Duchess Valienne, you must have been given the title of Duchess of Valienne after becoming my daughter.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Gerard¡¯s red eyes widened. ¡°There is no way to cancel the adoption.¡± He wanted to laugh out loud again. He wanted to ask what it felt like to be trampled on while struggling. Anyone could see that Gerard was ecstatic. That was then. ¡°¡®Madam Mimosa¡¯ cannot be my official representative. She was the woman who ran the Forest, an illegal nurturing institution¡ª¡± Annette¡¯s pale green eyes gleamed. Her index finger pointed exactly at Gerard. ¡°She operated the facility in an illegal collusion with Prince Gerard over there!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± What kind of bullshit? Gerard¡¯s face was crumpled like a used tissue. ¡°Sir.¡± Annette coolly uttered, turning to the high priest. Bit by bit, word by word. ¡°I am not here because of the adoption.¡± A clear voice resounded in the ears of the crowd. ¡°I am here to Prince Gerard.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°On the charges of operating the ¡®Forest¡¯, an illegal child care facility, and selling children for personal gain. Plus¡­¡± Her bitter eyes turned to Gerard. Her lips moved as she shattered the reputation he had cherished like his life. ¡°¡­The murder of ¡®High Priest Arthur,¡¯ who died more than 10 years ago, before he could even attend his grandson¡¯s wedding which was held 2 days later.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± Gerard¡¯s face turned red immediately. It was the first time the ¡®perfect prince¡¯ had been treated like this in front of everyone. ¡°What!! This does not make sense¡­! Nonsense without any evidence.¡± ¡°I have a witness.¡± Annette looked at the door calmly. At that moment, the door of the massive banquet hall opened and a man entered. Tock, tock. The reversal would be swift and decisive. There was no substance in the rumors, so the moment she showed the truth to people, public opinion would inevitably overturn. ¡°You¡­!!!¡± Recognizing the man, Gerard¡¯s pupils widened. CH 112 A man entered the banquet hall. A man who could be a about the illegal operation of Gerard¡¯s Forest, as Annette said. He had long blond hair and dark blue eyes, and Gerard knew him. The last time he saw him was over 10 years ago. ¡°My name is Julius Lipart, a Marquis of El Dorado and also a great wizard.¡± He smiled softly. ¡°Additionally, I am a teacher, who taught noble etiquette to the children in the Forest.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Julius greeted the people smoothly, then looked at Annette. He had feelings he couldn¡¯t hide. He received her call the day before. It was just last night. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°It would never be a coincidence.¡± In the residence of the Duchy of Valienne, the day before I met Gerard. I sat down on the sofa, quietly contemplating, and finally made my decision. It was no coincidence that my mother died now. ¡°What if it wasn¡¯t a coincidence?¡± Heinrich, who had his long legs crossed loosely on the opposite sofa, asked. He clenched his red lips. ¡°¡­Who intentionally harmed Sister¡¯s mother?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± I answered with a cold face. ¡°My mother must have been killed by Gerard.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± The clues were sparsely scattered, but when I put them together into a puzzle, a picture of perfect logic was completed. ¡°Victoria told me this. Gerard has been after me since I was in my mother¡¯s womb.¡± When my mother refused, the man who eventually took me away with a ¡®black snake¡¯ raised me in a cradle called the Forest. As expected previously by Sordi and Um, Gerard already knew my potential. ¡®However, what¡¯s different from those expectations¡­¡¯ ¡®I didn¡¯t know he has been aiming at me since the womb.¡¯ ¡°Madam Mimosa has long been known for her ¡®casted eye¡¯.¡± Afterwards, in cahoots with Madam Mimosa, he brought me to the Forest and had me grow up there. Come to think of it, the test in which I ¡®inherited¡¯ the soul of Exordium was quite strange. All of a sudden, I was thrown into the advanced course in some sort of accident. It was the first time such an accident had occurred in the level test of the Trees. ¡­What if that wasn¡¯t a coincidence? ¡®It must have been done on purpose to awaken me.¡¯ It was not uncommon for a child who was in a predicament to the point that his life was threatened to suddenly awaken his powers and protect himself. Nevertheless, since it was thought that I had failed in awakening in that test, Gerard might have wanted to adopt me and try to awaken me himself. ¡®He has been wanting me much more persistently than I thought. Gerard.¡¯ ¡®I must have been the best child.¡¯ I must have been the jewel that Gerard wanted to hold the most. In the end, judging from my awakening of the power of Exordium, my soul must have shone in a very precious color in Gerard¡¯s ¡®casted eye¡¯ from a very long time ago. I muttered coldly. ¡°He would never want to fail in adopting me this time. My mother, who was still alive in the meantime, must have been a very annoying factor. Anything that annoyed him, even the dust¡­¡± Heinrich took my words in a languid manner. ¡°He must have wanted to nip it in the buds.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t he a complete bastard?¡± Heinrich¡¯s fine forehead crumpled relentlessly. Unlike the silver-haired man, whose anger was fully exposed on his face, I was rather cold. It was like cold water was poured all over my body. ¡°Maybe it was Gerard¡¯s fault that my mother lost consciousness and collapsed.¡± Heinrich had already learned that Gerard had signed a contract with a sorcerer¡¯s soul. So he was also quick to understand. ¡°How are you going to deal with it, Sister?¡± I couldn¡¯t accuse him of murdering my mother right now. Because there was no evidence. Besides, it was too easy. As much as what my mother and I had been through. The same. No, I wanted to give it back several times. ¡°It¡¯s time to act carefully. As I¡¯ve told Sister earlier, the rumors about you in society aren¡¯t very good right now.¡± The reason why Heinrich visited the residence of Valienne was to let me know what he had briefly observed in the social atmosphere. ¡°There are strange rumors going around in El Dorado.¡± ¡°What rumors¡­?¡± ¡°Rumors that Sister committed a fatal crime, ran away, hid, and then reappeared to get adopted again.¡± I could guess who paid for it. ¡®A person revered as a perfect prince while being such an evil human being.¡¯ It was clear that Gerard was good at public opinion warfare. This was meant to make me hold my breath and live as his puppet. Warning me that I have nowhere to set foot on in El Dorado, no, in the entire continent. An eye for eye. A tooth for a tooth. If public opinion and his reputation were so important to him, then I wanted to destroy them first. ¡°Yes, Heinrich, you are right. I should act prudently¡­¡± I got up calmly and looked down at him. ¡°Or boldly bite his throat. Or both.¡± I got up from my seat, looked down at Heinrich, and spoke nonchalantly. ¡°I¡¯m going to bite off his neck and peel that disgusting shell off.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± We must reveal the ugly skin behind the mask to everyone. Heinrich asked with a little rise of his cheeks. ¡°How?¡± ¡°I have to reverse people¡¯s opinion of us and shake Gerard¡¯s strong reputation.¡± ¡°¡­How?¡± I smiled and pulled out a ring. It was the ¡®Pluto ring¡¯ that I took out after a long time. First, we needed a witness that Gerard was operating an illegal childcare facility. ¡®I¡¯m thinking of bringing out my high-class wizard slave after such a long time?¡¯ As I smiled viciously, Heinrich, whose face was red for some reason, covered his mouth. Then he whispered with his beautiful handsome face. ¡°Sister, am I crazy if I¡¯m excited about this?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡­No? ¡®You¡¯ve always been crazy, Heinrich.¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s just a new way.¡¯ ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ Julius looked at Annette with his hands behind his back, and glanced at the crowd. The reason he came here as a ¡®witness¡¯ was simple. It was because the owner of the ring summoned him after 10 years (Just in time before he sleeps in his favorite heart-patterned underwear. It was a mystery why he was always summoned when he was wearing only boxers) and made a sweet suggestion. It was also an offer that could never be rejected. ¡°Please testify that Gerard was the real force behind the Forest.¡± ¡°¡­Damn, you¡¯re calling me out after 10 years to do something like that? That¡¯s too much!¡± Wearing only underwear, Julius was frantic. ¡°If you do that, you won¡¯t live in El Dorado. Do you mean to antagonize the prince?¡± The existence of the forest was revealed to the world, but Gerard was actually the one who had been running it, so all the teachers were relieved of their sins by his power. Instead, Madam Mimosa received only a small punishment as the representative. Thus, Julius was spending his days peacefully in the mansion. It was clear that the tranquility would be broken if he got into a feud with the prince. ¡°You owe the children.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The woman¡¯s steadfast eyes pierced Julius¡¯ conscience. ¡°You taught the children in the Forest, and of course you were a great teacher who was pretty good at working. However, there are some bad parts.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You helped sell the children to the nobles, Julius.¡± Developing affection for your disciples was unavoidable. Julius, in one way or another, had secretly cared for the trees. ¡°Uncovering the reality of the Forest is the way to pay off the debt to the children.¡± ¡°¡­Why am I the one? I am not the only teacher, why?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the only one who can do that. A great wizard like you would be able to leave El Dorado and live out of Gerard¡¯s reach.¡± If other teachers do it, they would be killed. ¡°Shit. You¡¯re really grown up, Annette.¡± ¡®How dare you persuade me. Peace is over for the time being.¡¯ As Julius was clutching his forehead, Annette smiled brightly at that moment. ¡ªLike the girl he knew. ¡°As a token of my gratitude, I will return the ¡®Pluto Ring¡¯. Now you¡¯re free.¡± This generous woman (suddenly, Julius¡¯s appreciation for Annette soared) returned the ring on the spot. Therefore, Julius¡¯ was here out of his own free will. In front of the high priest, he said, ¡°I can assure you here, what Duchess Valienne said is true.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± ¨DWhat, Prince Gerard ran an illegal childcare facility? There was a great stir among the people. Considering Gerard¡¯s usual image and reputation, it was unimaginable. A brave nobleman asked as if shocked. ¡°Isn¡¯t that like human trafficking?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Gerard¡¯s face was already in flames. He looked like he had lost his composure. He wasn¡¯t used to being humiliated in front of so many people. ¡°There was an operator named ¡®J¡¯ who handed over the funds to Madam Mimosa, who ran the Forest. He was the patron of the Forest and a longtime companion.¡± Julius said, looking straight at Gerard with a clean expression. ¡°The teachers all knew that ¡®J¡¯ was Prince Gerard.¡± ¡°Can you vouch for that?¡± Annette responded to the high priest¡¯s question, saying, ¡°Not only can I vouch for it, I have proof.¡± Annette submitted the documents she had been given over to the high priest. It was a document kept by Julius, a ledger that recorded the profits from selling each child that Madam Mimosa gave to Gerard. Gerard replied, barely controlling his breathing. ¡°Manipulating the ledger and bribing Julius, my daughter. That doesn¡¯t erase your sins?¡± The snake-like man suddenly changed his expression and muttered to the audience. ¡°I told Annette, who would be my daughter, that she should be willing to pay the price, even for her sins of more than a decade ago. I said I could take her as my daughter after that.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Then, out of fear, she is framing me and trying to run away again. Just like 10 years ago.¡± Even in this situation, Gerard was using Annette¡¯s bad reputation to manipulate the situation to his advantage. Annette grinned, as if she had expected such things from him. There was not even the slightest bit of fear on her face. Once again, she looked straight at Gerard and spoke up. ¡°No, the reason I ran away was because I was afraid of the Prince.¡± It was finally time to reveal the truth. The truth about the words Gerard foolishly believed a long time ago. ¡°Because that night, I witnessed the Prince killing High Priest Arthur with my own eyes while hiding in the grass.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± A strong shock was applied to the back of Gerard¡¯s head. He blinked in shock, as if he had been hit hard with a blunt force. ¡ªWhat? CH 113 In an instant, Gerard¡¯s eyes darkened and the face of a young girl came to mind. ¡°Annette, how did you know the cigarette case was mine?!¡± With her bright green eyes shining, she spoke with a pure face that didn¡¯t even know lies. ¡°There was an imperial emblem on the front of the case. That¡¯s how I knew it was a thing of the imperial family.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°So I reduced the scope by eliminating the options, Prince.¡± ¡ªIt was all lies. She acted as if she was just a clever model student. But in fact, she picked up his cigarette case in the grass, witnessed the death of the high priest, and quickly ran away from his arms. ¡®Damn.¡¯ He was so upset. His teeth trembled. He was fooled by a 12-year-old kid. No, that little girl had grown prosperous and was holding her breath. ¡®Was it like these eyes?¡¯ The eyes that a person who has lived a humble life must bear. The nobles around him were looking at him with eyes full of surprise and contempt. ¡®This¡­ I didn¡¯t expect this.¡¯ Upon receiving those eyes, panic came before anger. Because Gerard had lived his life with a noble reputation. Stomping on the reputation like nothing happened, the girl opened her mouth again. ¡°He was an old man who was about to see his grandson get married.¡± It was a loud and powerful voice. ¡°When I saw him cut off the old man¡¯s neck mercilessly, I could never be his daughter.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± The crowd roared. At the cruel words of beheading, the nobles covered their mouths like it was terrifying. The high priest¡¯s face turned paler than before. ¡°So I ran away. For me as a child, the prince was too frightening.¡± In the midst of silence, everyone focused on Annette¡¯s voice. Her gestures, gaze, and every action. The new Duchess of Valienne, who had just become the head of the house, somehow had the power to lead and draw people¡¯s attention. Her mother, the former head of the house. Like Derkis Valienne. ¡°I felt it was time to come back. To succeed in my mother¡¯s footsteps and to uncover the truth.¡± The image of a prodigal daughter who ran away after committing sins was reversed at once. Of course, so was the image of the generous father, who embraced that prodigal daughter. ¡°There is no evidence¡­! Are you going to listen to those crazy words? I couldn¡¯t have done that, could I?¡± There was madness in the eyes of the ¡®generous¡¯ prince. He pointed to his chest and shouted his innocence to everyone. However, the momentum had already passed to the new Duchess Valienne. Her claim was appropriate for all circumstances, and she was meticulously prepared with witnesses and evidence to support it. Conceived lies become clumsy in the face of powerful truths. No matter how reputable the prince was, he was bound to receive suspicion. ¡°Everyone, be quiet!¡± Then, a voice like thunder struck everyone. The high priest looked at Gerard and Annette alternately with stern eyes. It was a calm and fair expression. However, there was a layer of wrath on his face at the loss of his predecessor. ¡°Whether the allegations against the prince are true or not, the Great Temple will conduct a thorough investigation!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Gerard¡¯s eyes went black. ¡®Shit.¡¯ It was the death of High Priest Arthur, who was respected by all. If it was just a matter of putting money into illegal childcare facilities, the high priest would not have come forward directly and brought the temple into this battle. ¡®This is what they were aiming for.¡¯ The reason why she brought up Arthur¡¯s death from 10 years ago must have been because she wanted this kind of situation. ¡®You¡¯re a wicked and scary girl.¡¯ He had to admit it. That he looked down on her. Annette led the whole situation as I planned, and answered calmly. ¡°Thank you. High Priest¡­ I promise to do my best to cooperate with you as a witness to prove the allegations are true, and as a citizen of the empire who desires justice in El Dorado.¡± The light-green eyes moved slowly toward Gerard, who had hardened in place. Faced with the raging anger head on, Gerard instinctively realized. ¡®That girl knows¡­! Everything I did to her mother!¡¯ If so, this would be just the beginning. The unbreakable will to destroy him was somehow present in those eyes. A cold sweat ran down his spine. ¡®I have to cut off the shoots.¡¯ ¡®All I need is that power.¡¯ As long as the breath was attached, wouldn¡¯t it be possible to somehow extract power from the body that has Exordium? ¨DThere is no need to keep her alive! ¡®Like your mother.¡¯ When Gerard was about to look around with glaring eyes. Right next to him, Baron Tenesi, who was usually a strong supporter of Gerard, murmured. ¡°What a stinkin¡¯ girl. Don¡¯t care what kind of mud you were rolling in, pretending to be a duchess¡­ You will be decapitated soon.¡± Baron Tenesi, with his swampy dark green hair and gold eyes, twisted the corners of his mouth. ¡°Isn¡¯t it?!¡± For a moment, a dark red light flashed in Gerard¡¯s red eyes. ¡¸Mind control.¡¹ The power of Ven¨¦num. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The baron, whose eyes were loosened for a fleeting second, narrowed out like a scarecrow, and drew a sword. It was the sword of the paladin approaching Prince Gerard. The paladin panicked for a while, and the baron rushed towards Annette at an incredible speed that could not be called a human¡¯s. ¡®¡­I feel dizzy.¡¯ After the death of her mother, Annette, who had been tense all day for several days, faced the sword with a bit of exhaustion. ¡°Ah.¡± ¡®I have to avoid it.¡¯ ¡ªPuuk! A deep piercing sound was heard. Tak, tak. Red blood dripped onto the floor. Stunned and alert, Annette lifted her head. Darkened red eyes under the messy black hair. A face with a clearly visible high nose bridge and softly bitten lips. Strong arms were holding her tightly. It was Sislin. ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ The night before. In the high moonlight, Sislin was staring at his hand. Lying on the wing chair, his dark hair was long and disheveled. Thanks to his tilted head, his sharp jawline and collar bones were particularly prominent. His chapped lips muttered. ¡°It¡¯s strange.¡± A low voice rang out. ¡°It feels like ants are crawling in my veins¡­¡± A sliver of moonlight was falling on his hand. The cold air. It was felt by heating up the delicate senses more sensitively than usual. In the past, whenever his ability got stronger, he would be receptive enough to feel the flow of blood. Like now. ¡°Have you gotten stronger?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Uttering briefly in response to Owin¡¯s question, Sislin poured out a drug that could suppress his senses. Then he took a sip of strong alcohol and swallowed everything in his mouth. Like an injured beast, a long, hot breath was exhaled once. But the feeling never calmed down. ¡ªIt was something close to pain. ¡°Recently, your symptoms have gotten worse. You were definitely getting better, but I don¡¯t know why¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ve become stronger than ever. After coming to this ¡®Bayonaire Island¡¯. It¡¯s a bizarre phenomenon.¡± They remembered what the doctor said. He hadn¡¯t been to the Crevasse, but his strength was increasing and his suffering was getting worse. ¡°I don¡¯t think Bayonaire is the problem.¡± A shadow fell on Owin¡¯s face. The aide was hoping in his heart that the prince¡¯s power was strengthened because of some topographical problem or the power of the island, but only then had to see that the hypothesis was wrong. Even after leaving Bayonaire, his master¡¯s symptoms were getting worse day by day. It was, absolutely, a bad sign. ¡°She is already afraid of me. If it even causes seizures like this, it will be worth seeing.¡± ¡°¡­Is that the biggest problem?¡± He must be in great pain, but he was just afraid that Annette would be scared. The tenacity of his master was so consistent that Owin shook his head. Shiik¡ª As Sislin stood up, a black silk robe rippled along his muscular body. Walking barefoot, he said, ¡°We must find out the cause.¡± Blinking the red eyes that suddenly became cloudy, he exhaled harshly as if he was holding back his senses. ¡°If I don¡¯t find it, I¡¯m either going to have a seizure or die from this pain.¡± Owin couldn¡¯t hide the sadness in his eyes, but soon returned to the expression of a faithful subordinate and bowed his head. ¡°I will help.¡± ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°Ahhhhhhh!¡± Recognizing the baron running towards Annette, Sislin threw himself over. His cloudy red eyes flashed like that of a beast¡¯s. The red robes fluttered like waves of blood, and the moment he hugged her in his arms. Right then; He felt a burning pain in his body. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Puk-! The blow from the baron was something he could normally lightly avoid. Not this time however, since he had to block the baron¡¯s sword with his hand. When he was distracted by the sharp pain that spread all over his body in an instant¡­ the tip of the blade narrowly grazed his abdomen. ¡°Uh-huh¡­ Oh my god!!!¡± As if he had belatedly came to his senses, the baron widened his eyes in surprise at what he had done. High-pitched screams echoed around. Red blood was dripping from the body of the crown prince, who was called the ¡®Monster of Crevasse¡¯. ¡°What is this¡­! I-I, I¡¯ve s-sinned, s-sorry¡­ Your Highness the Crown Prince, I¡¯m sorry. P-Please, forgive me.¡± Sislin¡¯s red eyes became thin. It was an instantaneous act to cut off the baron¡¯s head with a sword. Fearful screams were heard upon the decision, which had no mercy. Gerard¡¯s face filled with consternation. ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± The man who was called a monster without blood or tears looked down at the little woman that was drooping in his arms. As if her pulse had loosened, as if her legs had lost strength, she slid down. He gently lifted her little body. ¡°This is the end of the banquet.¡± Leaning slightly towards his left, Sislin gently walked away from the spot, holding Annette dearly. Leaving behind the banquet hall devastated by blood, astonishment and suspicion. CH 114 Who is it? This gentle yet warm touch. At first, it was fleeting as if it was opening up the thin piece of clothing near the heart. The next moment, fingertips touched the delicate skin around the collarbone. It was a hot touch, like engraving fingerprints. Suddenly, a large hand slowly wrapped around my body. There was just a little bit of pressure. ¡°Ah¡­¡± The moment I opened my eyes with a gasp. ¡®I¡¯m not lying in bed?¡¯ I was sitting on someone¡¯s knees. I wasn¡¯t even sitting properly, one leg was clumsily folded. ¡®I¡¯ll raise my head¡­¡¯ A man was looking at me. It was a man of enormous size that was overbearing. There was an aura of a predator that was conducive to subjugating his opponents, making them kneel, and devouring them. ¡°Sisl?¡± I instinctively knew. That the arm that was wrapped around me was his firm one. ¡°Annette.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± He stroked my smooth chin and raised the corners of his lips languidly. Then, he dragged the tail of his words, and wrapped his large hand around my cheek. ¡°You¡¯re cute. Cheeky.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Annette.¡± His hard, broad shoulders were slowly lowered, making eye contact with me. Soon, the height of his gaze was perfectly aligned with mine. ¡°You ask for time, and you¡¯re thinking of running away after solving your mother¡¯s business, right?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± ¡®Anyway, our hearts are connected.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m not strong enough to kill you.¡¯ The sharp red eyes narrowed as if they could cut, like a knife. As if he saw something very interesting. ¡°If not, why don¡¯t you give me an answer?¡± Slowly, the handsome face drew closer. ¡°You are attracted to me too.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± It was an undeniable fact. However. I felt like my life would be shattered if I succumbed to your mad obsession. ¨DIf I was held in those arms, I felt like I would melt and become entangled with him, and I would lose all of myself. As if eaten by him. It felt like poisoned liquor. It made me feel drunk and thrilled when I drank it, but at the same time I was paralyzed and seemed to die slowly. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± He whispered as if piercing me. It felt like his red and dusky eyes would turn me over and rip me through. So I shut my eyes tight. The next moment. I was sitting on top of a Sislin lying on the bed. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Wide shoulders and chest, perfectly carved like a finely made sculpture. He looked up at me relaxedly, dressed in what was clearly torn by his hand. The red-tinged blatant gaze was filled with unfamiliarity. Soon, the forearms with wild veins snaked around my waist. And. My heart ached at the hot breath that came to my ears in an instant. It dropped¡ª ¡°Let¡¯s fall into the abyss together.¡± It was low. This voice, full of obsession. Dazed, I closed my eyes. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°Owner, are you okay?¡± I felt someone shaking and waking me up, and so I opened my eyes. The friendly eyes were filled with concern. Dark green eyes, light brown hair, and a soft voice. ¡ªIt was Kyle. ¡°I woke you up because I thought you were having a nightmare.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± What happened? Why am I in bed? ¡°You collapsed in the banquet hall.¡± It was then that the memories before I fainted vividly flashed in my mind. How I pushed Gerard as planned, and what eventually made the high priest step in. In addition¡­ Someone attacked me, and during that, Sislin wrapped himself around me and took the sword instead. ¡®Is Sislin hurt?¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°His Highness the Crown Prince is safe. He is very fine.¡± As if reading my mind for a moment, Kyle reassured me first. It was then that a deep sigh of relief flowed. ¡°That¡¯s fortunate.¡± ¡°Fortunately, yes.¡± The innocent stag followed my words and smiled with his eyes bent. ¡°I still want to go see him. Whether Sislin is okay¡­¡± As I tried to stand up, he hurriedly grabbed my hand and stopped me. ¡°Get some rest.¡± Then he gently placed a hand on my cheek. ¡°I¡¯m worried.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Owner, it seems that you have accumulated a lot of fatigue and tension.¡± That was probably right. As soon as I thought I had found my mother, she died, and as a result, I could not say even a word to her, let alone have a long-awaited reunion. In addition, I had been tense for several days because of Gerard. ¡®In the end, things went as planned.¡¯ It seemed that my physical condition was so bad that I blacked out when I was suddenly attacked. ¡®But I don¡¯t have time to rest like this.¡¯ There were things to be done. ¡°Kyle, please take this.¡± First of all, the right settlement was necessary. I called Victoria and handed the papers I had prepared beforehand to Kyle. Wonder appeared in his gentle eyes. ¡°This¡­¡± ¡°I put together the wealth I had accumulated in Bayonaire. You looked into the locket. That was the job.¡± It wasn¡¯t a small sum. I was very good at business, so it was a lot of money to say that a mere commoner had collected it. On top of that, I had also processed some of the dwarves¡¯ treasures. (TL/N: the treasures she found by digging the field in the Forest; ah, I should really dig the one in my school, wonder what I¡¯ll find? x) ¡°I can¡¯t accept it.¡± Kyle shook his head. However, I wasn¡¯t giving money to Kyle. It was the payment to the ¡®head of Larva¡¯ in return for a legitimate request. ¡°I made a request and promised to pay the price. To Larva.¡± ¡°Annette.¡± For the first time he called my name. Without honorifics; intimate and friendly. The deep voice was imbued with affection. Putting his forehead on the back of my hand, he said, ¡°If it is your request, I can even jump into fire. I didn¡¯t do it for this.¡± ¡°¡­If you do, I won¡¯t be able to ask you anything in the future.¡± I wanted the calculations to be clear. He was a fairly competent informant and had been doing business with me for over 10 years. I wanted to keep that trust. ¡°Still, this is too much. Even if you entrust a formal request, it is only one tenth of this.¡± ¡°All this while, there is a price that you have reduced excessively. I¡¯m a terribly cheap bread lover.¡± I lowered my gaze and smiled. I should reward the ¡®half-price phantom thief boy¡¯. He truly cared for me, that¡¯s why he worked more diligently than anyone else. ¡°Thank you so much for stopping the chase.¡± ¡°¡­In the end, I failed.¡± As Kyle said that, there was a mixture of resentment and regret on his face. ¡°It¡¯s not Kyle¡¯s fault. Someone must have given my location.¡± I had already heard from Kyle. The fact that Gerard was able to find me with such precision was thanks to someone who announced the location. He finally put the documents in his pocket. Kyle, no, the head of Larva said, ¡°I am looking for him. The one who revealed Miss Annette¡¯s position. After which, the job will be ¡®finished¡¯.¡± ¡°All right.¡± ¨DPerhaps this would be the completion of the deal. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ I tried to go to Sislin, but Victoria stopped me. All of the duke¡¯s servants were so worried when they heard the news that I had fallen, so they all gathered, forcing me back to the bed. The last thing I remember was drinking a sedative and falling asleep again. By the way¡­ ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡®What is it, this hard breath?¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s my bed, but I can feel someone¡¯s breath¡­ Isn¡¯t that strange?¡¯ I lifted my heavy eyelids a little. Right in front of me was a white, beautiful, handsome face. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡®Heinri?¡¯ He looked like a boy who fell on my bed after running around outside, sleeping peacefully and harmlessly. Long eyelashes twitched. ¡®How did you get here?¡¯ But¡­ It might be ridiculous to ask such a question to a wizard who could change the weather to winter. A white stick was stuck in between Heinrich¡¯s rosy red lips. It looked like he fell asleep eating a lollipop. ¡®Cute.¡¯ I was automatically relieved and I laughed out loud. ¡°Your teeth are all going to rot, you idiot.¡± I slowly pulled out the stick, whispering so that Heinrich wouldn¡¯t wake up. Plop, the half-worn round candy fell out of his gaping lips. Heinrich¡¯s body moved slightly, to the left and right. Slowly, the shirt that was bigger than my body was messed up. It seemed soft, but the hard body, as if forged, moved seductively with the thin fabric as he breathed. ¡®Crazy.¡¯ I opened my eyes right away. ¡®It¡¯s just a man¡¯s chest.¡¯ ¡®But why do I feel like I¡¯m doing something bad just by looking at it?¡¯ In a quick blink, I instinctively closed the collar of his shirt tightly. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Long eyelashes slowly lifted up, and beautiful purple eyes stared at me. His face was motionless, as if he had never fallen asleep from the beginning. He licked his lips and looked at me and the candy. ¡°Sister.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± ¡°My tongue is empty.¡± He got a little bit closer. Face to face with me, lying on the side of my bed, he narrowed the gap between us and got as close as the lollipop stick. With innocent and harmless eyes, Heinrich whispered while looking at my lips. ¡°I want to eat something sweet.¡± ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ In the residence of the Marquisate of Winston. ¡°I found it!¡± Number 19 rushed inside and shouted, ¡°I found two people who said they saw Gerard having a secret meeting!¡± Kyle¡¯s eyes became thin. It was an investigation conducted from the time the tracking team arrived on Bayonaire Island. It wasn¡¯t unreasonable to find witnesses by now. After a while, two men entered the drawing room. Surprisingly, both were Gerard¡¯s henchmen. Those who worked in the tracking team. Sitting opposite them, Kyle asked with suspicious eyes. ¡°You are Gerard¡¯s dogs, how can I believe anything you say?¡± ¡°The chase is over! I¡¯ve heard they¡¯re going to ¡®dispose¡¯ of us. If you give me something, I will hand over the information and leave El Dorado.¡± The other tracker next to the one who had spoken leaned over. ¡°S-Same here for me.¡± ¡°Did you two come together?¡± At Kyle¡¯s question, One-eye, who brought the two of them, politely answered. ¡°No, Marquis. They are seeing each other now since both of them have said they¡¯ll give us information.¡± The red-haired man, who had entered the drawing room first, hit himself on the chest and declared, ¡°My information is correct.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? I saw who he met with these two eyes. It was someone who knew the location of ¡®that woman¡¯! The two met in the deep forest.¡± Hiss, the pink-haired guy next to him spoke softly. The red-haired argued; since he had already come here, if he left El Dorado without receiving any money, it was only him that would lose out. ¡°It¡¯s the ¡®assistant¡¯ of a high-ranking nobleman!¡± ¡­An aide? Kyle, who had buried himself deep in the chair, straightened his body and clenched his chin. Then he asked with cold eyes. ¡°Tell him his name.¡± Who is it? The aide who serves the person who put Annette in trouble and even brought her life into danger. The two men answered at the same time. ¡°It¡¯s Duncan.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Owin.¡± Dun. Kyle¡¯s face darkened. Grand Duke Hyacinth or the Crown Prince? ¨DOf the two different answers, either of them was unexpected. CH 115 ¡°What are you talking about?! I definitely saw it. It¡¯s the Crown Prince¡¯s aide, Marquis Owin Harbert!¡± ¡°The silhouette is Baron Duncan! The one who serves Grand Duke Hyacinth.¡± Kyle¡¯s brow furrowed. Exactly from the word ¡®silhouette¡¯ was uttered. He asked slowly, clasping his hands. ¡°Did you not see the face?!¡± ¡°That is¡­¡± The two men looked at each other and hesitated for a moment. Then the redhead said, ¡°Actually, the meeting itself is top secret, so none of us saw the actual face.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Kyle responded with a darkened expression. Then, the pink-haired guy quickly said, ¡°But I¡¯m correct. You can pay the information fee to me.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?! It was Duncan!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The eyes of ¡®Marquis Winston¡¯, who was known to be upright but inflexible, sank like a swamp. He had dark green eyes as deep as hell; it seemed like if someone stepped on his toes, their neck would be pulled off. The two chattering men shut up and looked at him in surprise. The mood changed in an instant, and the marquis looked like a different person. Chalak. Then, in the blink of an eye (he didn¡¯t even notice that he pulled out his gun), Kyle muttered, pressing down on one of their temples with the dangerous magic gun he pulled out. ¡°Information fee¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The two people who have lived as assassins felt it for a moment. Ah, this guy¡­ It might not be just rumors of ¡®Marquis Winston¡¯. All around, Winston¡¯s shields stared down at them. Just that alone, the redhead felt like his life would be ¡®f*cked¡¯, so he hurriedly said, ¡°Well, that¡¯s the information fee. If you spare my life, I will leave and keep silent forever.¡± ¡°To let a dog that used to work for dirt live?¡± Bang! Bang! Red blood splattered across Kyle¡¯s cheeks. He commanded, rubbing the bloodstains with his leather gloved hands. ¡°Investigate Owin¡¯s and Duncan¡¯s alibi. Find the person who was in El Dorado at the time.¡± In principle, the aide should take care of the master where the master is. If either was in El Dorado at the time, there was a high probability that he was the culprit. Kyle quietly patted his chin and fell into his thoughts. What kind of bastard would do such a thing? ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ The red lips were wide enough to simply swallow. ¡°Heinrich¡­¡± ¡°Sister.¡± Heinrich came a little closer to me. I raised my hand and ruffled his hair. His eyes curved. As if he could feel the touch vividly. I looked into his eyes and whispered softly. ¡°There¡¯s nothing sweet¡­¡± As if he was drunk, the tails of his lips rose. He answered. ¡°How about ¡®something sweet that I used to eat¡¯?¡± Sook¡ª I put the candy into his gaping mouth. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡®Oh, I got hit.¡¯ A look crossed Heinrich¡¯s face. ¡®It¡¯s very desirable, really.¡¯ That was not a sleeping face at all, Heinrich¡¯s. He wasn¡¯t even sleeping, but he laid next to me secretly and played tricks. Heinrich said, slouching his shoulders like a droopy cat (while still sucking candy). ¡°Doesn¡¯t it work? I¡¯m handsome.¡± It¡¯s too much of a problem. If even 1g of me had been biased towards him as a man rather than my younger brother, I would have become a dangerous beast. ¡®All women are wolves, Heinri.¡¯ I drew a line strictly, pointing my index finger. ¡°You are prohibited from entering my room by secretly using magic.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s too much.¡± ¡°You are not allowed to lie in my bed without permission.¡± ¡°¡­There are too many bans, Sister.¡± Of course, all these were forbidden. Heinrich got up and sat down, taking my hands and bringing them close to his face. ¨DHe was so handsome that he looked like a work of art. With a sincere face, he said, ¡°I came in to comfort you because you looked tired. I was so worried.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°And do you think I will do anything to you? I¡¯m safe.¡± The second statement sounded a little less sincere. I replied, patting him on the shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± Then I clenched my fist tightly. ¡°I will not leave Gerard alone for my mother¡¯s sake.¡± Vengeance and purpose could make people stronger. It was, of course, sad to say goodbye to my mother, whom I had barely managed to find. But, even if I cry and cry, nothing would be resolved. Now was the time to chew on the deep wounds in my heart and use it as fuel to move forward. ¡°I am stronger than you think. And I¡¯m not saying this because I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll do something.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¡®I told you, Heinrich.¡¯ ¡®All women are wolves.¡¯ ¡°¡­So, don¡¯t lie down in that outfit anywhere else.¡± ¡®Another ¡®bad sister¡¯ will giggle and catch you!¡¯ It was then. A knock on the door was heard. The knock sounded polite yet urgent. As soon as I allowed it, Victoria showed up. She looked at Heinrich, who had come in without a mouse or a bird knowing, and appeared wary for a moment, then she spoke when I nodded to signal it was okay. ¡°Duke, it is said that the Crown Prince has fallen.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Sislin? ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ I headed for Sislin in a heartbeat. Heinrich didn¡¯t want to go with me. ¡°Isn¡¯t he still alive? Tell him to invite me to the funeral when he dies.¡± ¡°And if he looks at my face, won¡¯t he get sicker? I¡¯m helping him by asking you to go alone.¡± I understood those words to some extent, so I ended up going to the crown prince¡¯s palace alone. As I came in such a hurry, I stopped in front of the door to catch my breath. ¡°Annette¡­ no. Tell them that the ¡®Duchess of Valienne¡¯ has come.¡± It was my first move as a duchess. I was still awkward, but fortunately, I had already learned all the basic etiquette in the Forest, and I was usually quick to adapt. After a while¡­ The heavy door that had been firmly shut opened. ¡°I will go in alone.¡± I shook off the escorts and went inside. Owin greeted me at the entrance and bowed politely. ¡°I am the Crown Prince¡¯s aide, Marquis Owin Harbert, Duchess Valienne.¡± ¡°¡­Hello. Is the Crown Prince okay?¡± I spoke as I looked towards the bed. Owin pointed his palm towards it, as if asking me to confirm it myself. Sislin was lying on the big bed. He was completely undressed, and cold sweat was running down his back. As though unable to bear the pain, the muscles twitched following the harsh breath he exhaled. ¡°¡­Was he injured by the sword in a banquet hall?¡± ¡®I¡¯m sure they said he was okay¡­¡¯ I was told he grabbed the sword with his gloved hand and was only slightly injured. For Sislin, a wound like that was lighter than a bite from an insect. Above all, Sislin told me never to come. Due to his request and Victoria¡¯s persuasion, I had not been able to visit Sislin. ¡®I should¡¯ve come earlier. I¡¯m sorry.¡¯ At that time, Owin answered. ¡°No. It¡¯s not because of that, His Highness is not feeling well.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± I had no idea. I couldn¡¯t respond. At that moment, a harsh, stern voice came from the bed. ¡°Owin Herbert.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Owin¡¯s face shriveled up and he looked at the bed. Sislin wiped his wet black hair with a large hand, raising his eyes. ¡°I told you to call ¡®no one¡¯.¡± Annette was particularly included in that ¡®no one¡¯, but Owin pretended not to know. ¡®The Crown Prince doesn¡¯t know anything about dating. I¡¯m here to help.¡¯ Well, he only retorted inwardly. Owin then said with a brazen face. ¡°I thought Duchess Annette would be an exception. Because she is special.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Annette looked very upset at the fact that he was trying to hide his pain¡ª ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Seeing that weak rabbit-like face, Sislin softened his terrifyingly hardened eyes. ¡°Owin, get out.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As if Owin had been waiting, he went out like the wind (bringing all the servants along with him as he went out). Naturally, time for just the two of them was made. ¡°You look very unwell, Your Highness.¡± ¡®Where does it hurt?¡¯ ¡®Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡¯ When I touched Sislin¡¯s arm for a moment, his body temperature was very hot. I was startled and took my hand away. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Red eyes looked closely at Annette¡¯s face. Her cheeks were redder than usual, nervously bitten lips, and eyes filled with tender concern. Badump, badump. The sound of her heart was loud in his ears. The delicate sensations tormented him, but one thing was good. ¡®I can hear you entirely, Annette.¡¯ Even the pulsating sound in front of him was lovely. Terribly so. ¡°Are you worried?¡± He parted his chapped lips. Raising his heavy body, he managed to lean his back against the bedhead. Damp black hair covered his eyes. A clear gaze was directed at her through it. Annette replied, breathing calmly. ¡°¡­Of course I¡¯m worried. Did you take any medicine?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Even in the horrible pain that swelled in his stomach, Sislin thought sincerely. ¡ªIt¡¯s pretty fun to be sick. Because he had her concern and comfort. Sislin took her hand and kissed it softly. With unshakable red eyes, he whispered to her. ¡°Feed me.¡± CH 116 ¡°¡­I see.¡± It was about giving medicine to a sick person. I found the sedative on the night table, and I got a little upset. ¡®This is not a cure, Your Highness.¡¯ It was just to relieve pain. ¡®¡­Is it very serious?¡¯ ¡®Is it something without a cure?¡¯ I had a lot of questions, but I did not want to tirelessly ask the sick person, so I put up with it for now. ¡°Hurry.¡± A piercing voice was heard. He was only asking for medicine, but it sounded like he was asking me to do something bad. ¡®You¡¯re born with it, Your Highness.¡¯ Click¡ª I opened the vial and brought the sedative in the form of a potion to his lips. Then, urging him to open his mouth, I opened my mouth first. ¡°Ah.¡± This was reminding me of the old days. Of course, Sislin has changed a lot from before. Sharp eyes became half-lidded. He slowly opened his plump lips. He was just taking medicine, but somehow I instinctively felt danger. ¡®Even at times like this, I¡¯m nervous.¡¯ I felt like I was approaching a beast with sharp teeth while carrying a piece of flesh dripping with blood. Nervousness was swelling up in me; if I made a mistake, he might swallow without distinguishing between ¡®prey¡¯ and ¡®me¡¯. ¡°Ah~¡± ¡®¡­What? Aang?¡¯ I was so shocked that I hardened. Before I knew it, the vial was stolen and I found awhite, brazen hand that stuck out to do so. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Looking back, I saw a lily-like handsome man with long light blue hair, smiling with his sleeve covering his mouth. Next to him, with crossed arms, was a cheerful red-haired wolf-like man. ¡°Sordi, Um!!!¡± My face suddenly brightened. ¡°My baby, I miss you so much!¡± ¡°Uh-huh, glutinous rice! You¡¯ve grown even more while I haven¡¯t seen you.¡± ¡®Ah, I¡¯m no longer at the age to grow noticeably, Um.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ll hug my baby.¡± Sordi hugged me first, and Um wrapped his arms around the both of us, in one move. ¡°Oh my, my baby has lost weight. Didn¡¯t you eat a lot of nom nom?¡± ¡®Oh, please don¡¯t treat me like a child in front of Sislin!¡¯ ¡®¡­Baby.¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s an embarrassing name to be called in front of others.¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I glanced at Sislin. Although he was revealing his uncomfortable feelings that he was being disturbed, he showed no sign of surprise at all that two men suddenly appeared. As expected, nerves of steel. I had never seen a time where Sislin was startled or shaken. Thankfully, he didn¡¯t seem to have any interest in the title ¡®baby¡¯. Like he didn¡¯t hear it. It was really fortunate for me, so I was relieved a little inside. ¡°Glutinous rice, the resonance has improved a lot! What the hell happened while we were gone?¡± ¡­I¡¯ve been through a lot. I met four crazy people, found my mother, and almost died. Actually, I had a guess. The resonance dramatically increased from using the power of Sordi and Um. ¡®Especially when I was chased by the tracking team.¡¯ Back then, I used the power of Um a lot. Resonance was said to improve in mainly two cases. First, when the feelings shared between Sordi, Um and myself increased. Second, when there was an opportunity to cultivate inner strength. During this period, there were many things that strengthened my own power. I seemed to have grown a little bit through experiencing a lot of things and varied emotions. My daily life has been very eventful. ¡°My baby must have suffered a lot.¡± Sordi¡¯s eyes were teary. Uhhhh, I think it would be better if the ¡®gay couple and child¡¯s reunion¡¯ ends here. There¡¯s a sick person here. ¡°I¡¯m fine. First of all, the introduction¡­ Your Highness the Crown Prince, these are the people who lend me the power of a sorcerer. Sordi and Um.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°To me, they are like parents.¡± Sislin slowly swept his molars with his tongue as he looked at the disturbances who suddenly appeared (his eyes were blatantly expressing that they¡¯re disturbances). The shape of the tongue slightly sweeping down the inside of the left cheek appeared very upset. ¡®Uh, uhm.¡¯ He didn¡¯t look happy. ¡°This is ¡®His Highness the Crown Prince¡¯! ¡­You see, Sislin.¡± I deliberately used polite speech and folded my palms to point to Sislin. I hoped they would be respectful. However, Um frowned. ¡°What? Why did you get so grossly bigger. You used to be a ¡®cutie¡¯.¡± ¡­Yes? A cutie? The expression of the ¡®Cutie¡¯ was even more distorted. Like throwing an opponent away. Sordi paused, covering his mouth and ¡®dodging¡¯. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m afraid¡­¡± ¡®Alas, even to those who are thousands of years old, Sislin looks scary.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m normal.¡¯ ¡°Be quiet and leave, both of you.¡± Sislin issued an order. Sordi and Um were divine sorcerers, but he was treating them like two annoying squeaks. The wolf¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°Hey, you cheeky bastard. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll allow you to marry her later.¡± ¡°What do you mean, marriage¡­¡± ¡°Um, what a terrible thing to say?¡± Sordi hugged me like he was hiding me in his arms and continued. ¡°My baby girl decided to get married when she¡¯s ninety!¡± ¡­Me? I didn¡¯t know that I would be getting married at the age of ninety? Would my honeymoon destination be the underworld? Carefully, Um looked closely at Sislin and commented. ¡°By the way, this guy is receiving a lot of ¡®buffs¡¯ from glutinous rice.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Sislin¡¯s eyebrows crept up. I asked in surprise. ¡°Is Sislin getting strength from me?¡± ¡°Yes, one of your abilities. This guy¡¯s unique ability¡­ His powers are overflowing.¡± Um¡¯s eyes scanned Sislin closely. It was like carefully examining a side of him that was invisible to ordinary people. ¡°Just like a heavily painted oil painting.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°The ability must have gotten stronger and it must be quite painful. It¡¯s really tough, isn¡¯t it?¡± Three pairs of eyes stared at the guy who was sitting still. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ Sislin¡¯s red eyes shook slightly. Actually, he had a hunch. That maybe it was because of Annette. ¡°You are stronger than ever. After coming to this ¡®Bayonaire Island¡¯.¡± However, even after leaving Bayonaire Island, the pain was getting worse. There was only one thing that changed in his daily life. Annette¡¯s presence. And the fact that Annette was a ¡®successor¡¯; it was something he had heard from her a long time ago. Annette asked with a pale face, as if very startled. ¡°Uh then, Um¡­ How can I keep Sislin from getting sick?¡± ¡°Well.¡± As Um tapped his chin, Sordi answered. ¡°The power of Exordium works differently on each person. Just how the results are different when water and oil are mixed, and when water and soapy water are mixed.¡± Um supplemented the explanation. ¡°Then we have to find a way.¡± ¡°Anyway¡­¡± Sordi looked at Sislin¡¯s stark white face and said, ¡°It¡¯s rude to stay in a patient¡¯s room for so long. We¡¯ll be on our way. Now that I¡¯m back from the sorcerer¡¯s hall, call me anytime, sweetheart.¡± ¡°¡­Yes. Sordi.¡± The two disappeared in an instant, and the room immediately became quiet. Annette looked at Sislin silently. The light green eyes were full of worry. ¡°¡­Really, if it hurts because of me¡­¡± Perhaps she should leave? Maybe that was the only way to solve it. ¡°I should keep a little distance.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s check.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± At the time when she was speaking informally without even realizing it because she was embarrassed, her wrist slipped and her body tilted. Before she was even conscious of what had happened, she was sitting on top of him It felt like the touching skin was going to burn. ¡°Sisl. This way you can check¡­?¡± Annette fidgeted and blurted out. Because he was a patient, she just wiggled as if she couldn¡¯t push hard. Sislin¡¯s red eyes stared at her without answering. At the banquet not long ago, pain was evidently rushing through his body at that moment as he rescued her. ¨DPerhaps, the closer he got to Annette, the worse his symptoms were. ¡°I don¡¯t know, to check this¡­¡± Annette, blushing, struggled a bit to get away, and Sislin wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer to him. A slight playfulness flashed in his red eyes. ¡°Baby.¡± That deep, sweet voice just wrapped around her ears like dark chocolate. ¡°Stay still.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Annette¡¯s face turned red. He pretended he wasn¡¯t listening, but he was. Her heart rate went up. ¡®Your nervous face is unbearably lovely.¡¯ Sislin noted Annette always tensed up like a small animal caught in a trap. ¡®I¡¯m halfway to wanting to hold you in my arms without boundaries and nervousness.¡¯ With that anxious face, half of his bad heart hoped she would cling to his arms without knowing what to do. The pale green eyes that quivered in a mess were pretty. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°¡­Actually, I had a strange dream.¡± ¡°What dream?¡± Annette hesitated; she barely opened her mouth. ¡°Sisl¡­ To me¡­ A dream that tells us to fall into the abyss together.¡± The corners of his eyes narrowed. ¡®You don¡¯t know me at all, Annette.¡¯ He whispered, kissing her shoulder, with lips much hotter than in the dream. ¡°I will bring you to heaven and I will fall to hell alone.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Close your eyes.¡± ¡ªIt was time for confirmation. Annette blinked uneasily and then closed it quietly. Sislin slowly approached her. Sometimes, she would make a face that didn¡¯t believe in his heart at all. Like before. Each time, there was only one thing that Sislin could do. Just terribly and desperately wanting and loving her alone. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The two foreheads touched. ¨DIn an instant, severe pain came over him. To the point that it was hard to bear even for Sislin. He swallowed a low groan hotly under his tongue. It was thrilling to realize that this pain, which was boring and terrible, was what Annette was giving. He himself thought he was crazy. ¡°I know for sure.¡± Sislin slowly intertwined their fingers together. ¡°¡­How are you?¡± Suddenly opening her eyes, Annette asked anxiously. Sislin¡¯s lips twisted. ¡°When I¡¯m with you, my pain goes away.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± He whispered with reddened eyes. ¡°So, never leave my side.¡± CH 117 ¡°Aren¡¯t you lying?¡± Annette asked with slightly wary eyes. Normally, she was just a gentle and soft herbivore, but there were times when she became very sharp. ¨DThis was the part that Sislin liked very much. He grinned and stared at Annette through his damp bangs, gently licking his lips. ¡°Well. Why would I lie like that?¡± ¡°That¡­¡± ¡°A little more.¡± Sislin snatched her words and continued naturally. ¡°Because I want to touch you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Annette¡¯s face turned red. He had the nerve to say it. ¡°I¡¯m in a situation where I have no choice but to believe what Your Highness says, so I¡¯m trying to make sure.¡± ¡°Then trust me. I¡¯m not crazy enough to lie in such pain.¡± Annette looked at Sislin¡¯s trembling eyes. She could feel the remnants of the pain he was feeling while sitting very calmly and leisurely. In an instant, her heart ached. ¡®But¡­ It must hurt a lot, Sisl.¡¯ Um said earlier. ¡°It must have been quite painful. It¡¯s really tough, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡­It¡¯s a very painful situation right now. Yet he said he couldn¡¯t lie. ¡®Poor Sisl. Because of my strength, he ended up getting sick, so I¡¯m also responsible.¡¯ Annette ended up giving up a move. ¡°I will trust you and cooperate. But I can¡¯t just sit back and watch Your Highness suffering in pain.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± His long fingers tapped sharply at her back. One by one, like hitting piano keys. As if deliberately pulling her senses to play a prank. Annette¡¯s nerves were focused on her sensitive back. It was then. ¡°I¡¯m in trouble now, Annette.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± It wasn¡¯t really a big deal. Sislin was smiling. His mind was at ease. Holding her completely in his arms. ¡°You said you can¡¯t watch me being sick. To tie my heart to your wrist and lend me your body warmth whenever I¡¯m in pain¡­¡± The red eyes that were like a trap shone sharply. ¡°You can¡¯t go anywhere else forever.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Annette¡¯s expression softened. Another attack like this. She spoke clearly, ¡°Well. Artifacts could be removed by finding a way to unlock it, and above all, this is just a simple ¡®act of treatment¡¯.¡± Annette continued, squinting. ¡°I don¡¯t care about that.¡± He slowly followed her words. ¡°You don¡¯t care.¡± ¡°Yes. As you said, being by my side is nothing more than an ¡®act of treatment¡¯.¡± Sislin raised the corners of his lips. He was so delighted with her painstaking effort to draw the line that he forgot about the pain. That¡¯s weird. ¡°How exactly can I help reduce the pain?¡± ¡°Exactly, how?¡± Sislin¡¯s gaze turned to her, who asked sincerely, just like a model student trying her best to learn. Then he picked up the fallen vial on the floor that wasn¡¯t smashed, brought it to his mouth and swallowed the contents. The hot medicine that burned the esophagus would make him forget the pain for a while. The excruciating pain he was willing to take in exchange for a hug. ¡°I¡¯m only going to explain it once, so pay attention.¡± ¡°Yes, great.¡± Annette¡¯s eyes shone. It was like watching a teacher explaining a problem that would definitely come up in the test. Gradually bringing his head closer, he brought his lips to her ear. Before he knew it, his eyes went to her ears, which were ripe red, in a pretty color like a fruit. His tenacious gaze slowly gazed at the soft-looking earlobe and whispered. ¡°The deeper the skinship, the better it gets.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± He hid his sharply drooping eyes, and laboredly directed his hazy gaze forward, and before long, their cheeks touched. ¡°The more I touch you, the more you touch me¡­¡± When he came into contact with her hot cheeks, those soft cheeks twitched and shrank back slightly.. ¡ªIt was lovely. ¡°The pain is lessened.¡± Annette was so startled that she forgot that he was a patient and shoved him away. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The moment when their gazes were skillfully intertwined in the air. Tok tok. A knock on the door was heard. ¡°Come in.¡± Sislin answered softly, not taking his eyes off Annette. Owin, who was politely entering the room, paused at the entrance for a second. It was as if he had sensed the strange atmosphere that filled the air of the bedroom. But soon, professionally, he bowed his head and said, ¡°I have prepared water in the bathroom.¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯m sweating a lot and it¡¯s very uncomfortable.¡± Fortunately, the effects of the medicine kicked in and his senses were being suppressed to some extent. As he raised his gigantic body, the black sheet covering his body slid down. A firm chest and muscular abdomen were revealed at once. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Annette quickly looked away. It¡¯s like she didn¡¯t want to look. Dun, dun. Sislin walked across the marble floor, draping a silk robe around his waist and tying it loosely. And¡­ ¡°Duchess Valienne.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, Your Highness?¡± ¡°Now is the time when I need an ¡®act of treatment¡¯. All of a sudden, I feel really sick.¡± ¡®I forgot about that.¡¯ Annette had turned her eyes away when he said that he was sick, and looked at him worriedly. There was also a little bit of suspicion. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to the bathroom?¡± Sislin¡¯s lips rose slightly and mischievously. He uttered slyly, ¡°So¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± Duchess Valienne stared at His Highness the Crown Prince as if she was looking at the world¡¯s most shameless man. ¡®This naughty Sislin?!¡¯ ¡°Haha.¡± Annette¡¯s eyes turned into silts as Sislin smirked at her reaction. ¡°You¡¯re on medication, so you¡¯ll be fine for the time being. Because I can¡¯t always be by your side¡­ Please only call me when you¡¯re really struggling.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± He muttered, tilting his head loosely. ¡°My Annette is very cold-hearted.¡± Then he walked towards the bathroom at a slow pace. There was a smile on his lips. She only let out a long breath when the wide, huge back passed through the door. ¡°Ha¡­¡± Her face is blushing fiercely. She murmured in disbelief. There was one question she had been holding back. ¡°What disease treatment is so naughty?¡± ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ There was an acrid steam in the bathroom. Sislin had his long, muscular arms spread across the marble railing, soaking his body and closing his eyes. Owin, fully dressed, spoke in front of him. It seemed there was something he was curious about for a while. ¡°Your Highness, I heard earlier that you needed Duchess Annette as an ¡®act of treatment¡¯. Have you found a cure for your disease?¡± ¡°I found the cause.¡± Sislin answered with his eyes closed. Owen¡¯s eyes widened a little. Wouldn¡¯t it be possible to prevent the disease from getting worse by knowing the cause? ¡°What is the cause?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because of Annette¡¯s awakening ability. She stimulated the growth of my abilities, which made my symptoms worse.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± In surprise, Owin gasped out. ¡°Then, why don¡¯t you move away from Duchess Annette right away¡­!¡± Owin, the moment he said that, bit his tongue. Somehow, he knew. What his master said to Annette about his illness. It was possible to infer from the conversation the two had had earlier. A crazy human being who¡¯s already connected the heart. He was a man who would do anything to keep her. Now I was going to walk to the fire with her in my arms. Willingly believing that the road was to heaven. Owin¡¯s neck stiffened. It was astonishing. ¡®I did something wrong.¡¯ Again, a wave of regret came over him. ¡®I thought Annette would pay more attention to him if he showed his sickness.¡¯ Rather, to embrace the pain and be with her; it was a sad choice by the master for the aide who served him. Because the most important thing for Owin was his master. ¡°¡­Please.¡± Owin lowered his head politely. ¡°Look after yourself more, Your Highness.¡± Ah, how depressing. This was the heart of the servant who left advice that wouldn¡¯t be taken. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ The days in El Dorado flew by quickly, like an arrow. As there was much to be done. In the meantime, I had done my duties. As the Duchess of Valienne, I took care of the duchy¡¯s affairs and prepared for my mother¡¯s funeral. At the same time, I also decided the direction of operation of Bayonaire¡¯s . First of all, Noah wanted to inherit the bakery, so I asked Um to pass on the baking recipes. ¡°Ugh, it¡¯s bread again as soon as I come back¡­!¡± Of course, Um suffered a little bit because he was trapped in the terrible cycle of bread. And there was an applicant for a position who would help in the actual operation. The applicant was a little surprising¡ª ¡°I¡¯ve adored the cream bread of since a very long time ago.¡± He was one of the Larva, called Number 19. Fearing that Gerard might intimidate the villagers of Bayonaire, he decided to temporarily work at the bakery and protect them. There were frequent letters from residents, most of which were about how much they missed me and the ¡®golden bread phenomenon¡¯. ¡®Huhu, I¡¯m a little proud.¡¯ ¡®Still, I¡¯m really surprised.¡¯ It didn¡¯t seem like being a duchess would fit my aptitude, but in a way, running a duchy had a similarity to running a bakery, so it was quite doable. Above all, Victoria was by my side and helped me a lot. It¡¯s like someone who repays the favor of one¡¯s predecessor. Handing me a package of letters, Victoria said, ¡°It will soon be the national foundation day.¡± ¡°¡­I know. Victoria, don¡¯t I have anything to prepare for the national foundation day banquet?¡± ¡°You just need to prepare to attend.¡± It was when Victoria was replying with a soft smile. I found a familiar emblem on a package of letters. Along with the emblem, there was also a familiar signature. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Ah.¡± The innocent aspiring father-in-law! It¡¯s been a long time since he sent me a letter. My heart was pounding like it was a love letter. Because I still have a lot of gratitude for Marquis Bizet. I quickly opened the letter. ¡¸Dear Annette, It¡¯s been a long time since I said hello. How have you been? I¡¯ve heard everything from Kyle.¡¹ He started with a light greeting and also shared how he was doing. He wrote that he had put everything down and went on a trip. Yet he always thought of me. Reading it brought a smile to my face. The warmth of consolation and thoughtful consideration for me who lost my mother was felt on the ground, and it touched my heart. It was written that he missed me. ¡®I want to see you too.¡¯ The only adult I felt love from as a child. The one who took care of me all this time. I wanted to thank him properly. I suddenly missed him so much. ¡¸As such¡­ I¡¯m planning to attend this year¡¯s national foundation day banquet. Can we meet on that day?¡¹ ¡°Absolutely!¡± As I was happily replying to the letter, pale fingers came out from behind and grabbed the letter together. ¡°Umm, what is this? Sister?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± I looked to the side in surprise, and saw a handsome face with disheveled hair, clutching a white sheet. The sheet was white and rich, making him look just like a puppy buried in the snow. Heinrich, having just woken up, yawned as he rubbed his drowsy eyes. ¡°¡­Heinrich!¡± ¡®Since when have you been sleeping in my bed?¡¯ CH 118 ¡°Heinrich, when did you come in?¡± Apparently, Victoria had also been in and out of this room, but she didn¡¯t seem to have noticed him. ¡®It¡¯s easy for a wizard to hide his presence from the public.¡¯ ¡®¡­That being said, Heinrich is too big!¡¯ ¡°Ummm¡­¡± Heinrich mumbled, rubbing his sleepy eyes with the back of his hand. ¡°I¡¯ve been sleeping for a while, Sister.¡± Heinrich¡¯s eyes curved as he said, ¡°Don¡¯t scold me for sneaking in.¡± ¡°What the¡­¡± As I snorted in exasperation, I patted his messy silver hair that was like a puppy¡¯s and looked up. ¡°Don¡¯t hug me, you¡¯re forbidden.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± He was trying to get me to hug him. ¡­I¡¯ll hold it in though it¡¯s cute. I patted Heinri on the shoulder. Heinrich closed his eyes and made a languid sound, cracking his neck as if in a good mood. ¡°It¡¯s good that Sister is in El Dorado.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Because I can see you often.¡± Heinrich slowly lowered his eyelids and whispered. ¡°It¡¯s so good that it¡¯s like a dream.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Today, I found the boy I knew. In Heinrich¡¯s face. He¡¯s so happy that it¡¯s like a dream¡­ When I heard the pure expression that the 11-year-old him would say, I could guess how much he must have missed me alone in El Dorado. I said with a smile. ¡°I will always be here. I am not going anywhere.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Promise me.¡± With an anxious face, Heinrich raised his finger. ¡®Heinri¡­¡¯ I had already broken my promise to him. And yet, sticking out the thinnest finger on his body and asking me to make a promise¡ª Other than this, there¡¯s nothing to hold onto. Even after experiencing the possibility of having a promise broken, he had no choice but to lean on that small hope. ¡®I feel sorry and sad.¡¯ ¡®Heinri, I¡¯m not leaving anymore.¡¯ Whether I marry you or not, I won¡¯t leave you behind like I did before. Bang. In an instant, I remembered the boy who was trapped inside the shield and cried sadly as he slammed on the barrier with a small hand. ¡°Sister, are you lying? ¡­Why did you prepare this!!! Are you really trying to leave me?¡± I still have vivid images of you from that day. How could I do that to you? ¡°Yes, I promise.¡± I smiled and hooked my finger with his. At that moment, the anxiety faded on Heinrich¡¯s face, and a pretty smile appeared on it. ¡°Sister, I¡¯m here because I have something to brag about.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The master of the magic tower will retire soon. So, he¡¯s going to pick the ¡®next master¡¯ of the tower. But who is the most likely candidate? ¡­It¡¯s me!¡± ¡°Wow!¡± I was genuinely surprised. All the previous masters of El Dorado¡¯s magic tower were basically grandparents! ¡®Our young Heinri is going to be the master of the magic tower? How good is our baby!¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s really great, Heinrich. Indeed, our Heinri is a genius~¡± Oh, my baby. ¡°You¡¯re so cool!¡± Heinrich¡¯s high nose rose even higher. He shrugged and straightened his shoulders like a cat showing off. ¡°They¡¯re going to vote soon and I¡¯ll probably be elected. It¡¯s almost like a nominee? It¡¯s like the atmosphere has already been set.¡± ¡°Huh? Isn¡¯t it a disadvantage to vote?¡± ¡®Actually, you¡¯re not the popular type. Unless it¡¯s a vote on appearance.¡¯ ¡°Oh, it¡¯s okay! The election of the next master is based on a thorough ¡®skills system¡¯.¡± With a shrug, the kitten pointed at himself and blinked. ¡°It¡¯s okay to have a bad personality!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Dun dun dunnnn. ¡®¡­Ah, your judgment is fairly objective, isn¡¯t it? Our baby.¡¯ I gave a quick thumbs up. ¡°Indeed, our Heinri is the best!¡± ¡°Right?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Heinrich looked as happy as he was supported by me, but his expression gradually darkened a little as he fell into contemplation. I caught onto the dark cloud and asked right away. ¡°What¡¯s the matter¡­?¡± ¡°Actually, Sister, I have a problem.¡± ¡°What?¡± Heinrich¡¯s expression seemed like he was hesitating about whether to speak or not. This kid was usually reckless, so it was clear that it was a big concern. As I was quietly concentrating, he opened his mouth and continued speaking. ¡°I got a call from my biological father.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Heinrich¡¯s father. A great archmage, but a merciless man who abandoned the courtesan woman and her child with him. Living in the same El Dorado, he has never contacted Heinrich. ¡®¡­He would have heard that Heinrich was adopted, but he still pretended not to know.¡¯ If the child you had abandoned became the child of another nobleman, you would usually take a peek, but this cold-hearted man did not. ¡®Is it different from the original?¡¯ I recalled the contents of the original for the first time in a while. ¡®The contents of the birth father came out only as a narrative.¡¯ He was a biological father who appeared only as a narrative to explain how unhappy Heinrich¡¯s childhood was and why he became such a character. ¡®In the end, even until Heinrich has a miserable and devastating ending¡­¡¯ He never showed up. But let¡¯s think about it in another way. Right now, Heinrich was smiling brightly in front of me with such a soft and pretty face, but in the original story¡ª ¡®He was framed as a traitor.¡¯ If he revealed himself as his biological father, he would surely be dead. By the hands of the original Sislin. Maybe it was because he was afraid that he didn¡¯t show up? But now that things have changed, he might show some affection. ¡®Even if you don¡¯t love enough to risk your life, your child is your child.¡¯ That possibility could not be ruled out. As I was pondering the possibilities, Heinrich asked me. ¡°Should I tell him to screw off?¡± Heinrich rubbed his chin and frowned. ¡°It¡¯s bad. Now. Throwing it away and pretending not to know.¡± A wounded voice leaked out. ¡°It¡¯s bad luck.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t even come to my mother¡¯s funeral, that guy.¡± I felt the pain of Heinrich, who must have been miserable at that time, and my heart throbbed. This came to mind: a boy leaving a flower on his mother¡¯s grave with his young and small hands, and crying in front of it without anyone else in the world. It was a scene that made me cry while reading the original novel. My eyes darkened. ¡°¡­Well.¡± Nevertheless, in the current country, I would have no choice but to advise him to meet first. I misunderstood that my mother had abandoned me, and it was only after my mother passed away that the misunderstanding was able to be cleared up. Parents who abandon their children have their own reasons. However¡­ ¡°If you don¡¯t want to meet, you don¡¯t have to.¡± There was no obligation for the child to understand why. Just by being abandoned, the child had to live with scars and pain that could not be erased all his life. Heinrich had the right to live only pursuing his own happiness. More than anyone else, I supported it. In response to my reply, Heinrich pondered for a moment, then asked cautiously. ¡°You¡­ Do you regret meeting your mother?¡± I answered immediately. ¡°No.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I have no regrets.¡± Thanks to this, I also found out why my life was twisted, and I felt like I had finally found my ¡®roots¡¯. And, who my main enemy is. I knew how to deal with Gerard from now on. It was like having a new goal in my life, whereas before, it was simply to become a ¡®bakery owner¡¯. I want revenge on Gerard. For my mother and myself. Life was clearer than ever. ¡°It made me know who I am and what I have to do.¡± I replied calmly. ¡°I have no regrets, Heinrich.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Heinrich was long lost in thought. As if he was countlessly mulling over my words. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°Duncan.¡± After meeting Annette, Heinrich, who had been thinking for a long time, opened his mouth. ¡°Yes, Grand Duke.¡± With his delicate and beautiful jawline resting languidly in his palm, Heinrich waved the item between his fingers. It was an invitation from the Magic Tower. An invitation from Grand Duke Valentino, one of the nine archmages of the tower. His signature was written in strong cursive. ¡¸Belsac Valentino¡¹ A man who abandoned Heinrich and his mother. ¡ªIt was the name of his biological father. Basically, the nine archmages belonging to the Magic Tower also lived in the Magic Tower. So, Heinrich was invited there. Even after calling Duncan, Heinrich¡¯s eyes were fixed on the vase on the table meaninglessly for a while. As if the focus was not in front, but was cast in the distance. He met Annette and dwelled on it for a long time, but the matter of meeting his biological father was not easily resolved. ¡®Will I not regret it too?¡¯ Heinrich remembered Annette¡¯s words. ¡°I have no regrets.¡± Conversely, if he stubbornly ignored it. Could he not regret it? ¡®It¡¯s someone I¡¯ll meet at the tower anyway.¡¯ Heinrich thought dryly. Still, he muttered, covering his eyes with his large hands. ¡°Is he feeling guilty now? It¡¯s too late. To take care of your child.¡± Even though he was sarcastic, the stains of emotion that an abandoned person would have swirled in his purple eyes. Then he bit his lip and ordered. ¡°Accept the invitation of Grand Duke Valentino. I will go to the tower, so tell him to set a time.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Excellency!¡± CH 119 ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ A sunny afternoon. At the sound of someone knocking on the window (repeated twice), I looked straight towards it. It was a baby squirrel whose eyes, nose and mouth were small and shiny like black beans. ¡®I think Kyle sent it.¡¯ ¡°Come in!¡± I smiled sweetly and opened the window. Instead of the squirrel, he should have come himself. ¡­Was he busy? It felt good to pet the baby squirrel, who always greeted me politely with a nod. ¡®Hehe, it¡¯s fluffy and warm.¡¯ ¡°Hello, sweet friend.¡± I pulled out sunflower seeds and walnuts out of a small nut jar (I always kept the nuts by the window while communicating with Mr. Kyle) and handed them out. The cheek pockets of the squirrel with black, sparkling eyes quickly became full~ With a satisfied expression, the squirrel exchanged the sunflower seeds with a letter. ¡°Now, shall I see what you sent?¡± I didn¡¯t think there¡¯s anything special that needs to be sent in a letter. ¡¸Owner, I¡¯m thinking of visiting the ducal mansion in 10 minutes. If you are busy, you can decline. Forgive the sudden and rude visit that was not scheduled in advance. As a cute act for the disrespect, I decided to first send a guy with chubby cheeks and fluttering cuteness.¡¹ ¡­Wow, even a serious stag acting cute? ¡®Kyle, your cuteness while stacking egg tarts was the best.¡¯ Of course, when asked later, he said he didn¡¯t remember it at all (his face was red like a cherry tart). ¡°He¡¯s very careful. Isn¡¯t it?¡± I laughed as I watched the cutie moving its cheeks, going ¡®nom nom nom nom¡¯. As if understanding, the baby squirrel nodded, waving its full tail. ¡®You¡¯re the standard of the nobility.¡¯ He was polite, cautious (he seemed to be especially more careful with me). It would be okay to treat me a little more comfortably now. ¡­There¡¯s even a cheeky chihuahua that suddenly appeared and rolled around on my bed? It was refreshing to have a man visit me using a normal route after a long time. 10 minutes later¡­ Kyle kept to the time like a sword and visited the ducal residence. ¡°Owner.¡± Emerald-colored eyes resembling coral islands were curved under the soft brown hair. He smiled softly. ¡°Thank you for showing understanding for this sudden visit.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t say no after seeing the act of cuteness.¡± He smiled a little shyly and lowered his head. His Indian dimples were hollowed out. ¡®What¡¯s an appointment to such a handsome man? All is well.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s okay to come without making an appointment in advance. Even if I¡¯m in this mansion.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± ¡°Sure! Think of it as . Of course, it¡¯s too grandiose and spacious for a bakery, but¡­ Oh, anyway.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I raised my index finger and emphasized. ¡°Let¡¯s treat it as a special favor for a ¡®bread fan¡¯!¡± That way things would be done faster. These days, Kyle decided to find the ¡®snitch¡¯ to wrap up my request. ¡®Snitch¡¯, there was nothing else I could call them. After the two of us talked, it was concluded that only one of our confidants could report my location to Gerard. ¡®Bayonaire is a very isolated island.¡¯ It was an island that was difficult to come and go for tourism purposes, and it was rare for outsiders to come and go in the first place. ¡®On that palm-sized island, if a new person had come, I would have known.¡¯ ¨DSo, the probability that a person from El Dorado was bright enough to know that Gerard was looking for me would come and find me by accident was zero. In the end, it¡¯s the work of an insider . That was the common conclusion both Kyle and I reached. It was when I was nodding my head. ¡°¡­No need to make an appointment in advance.¡± Oh, wasn¡¯t that topic a while ago? ¡®Are you still thinking about it?¡¯ Kyle smiled, bending his gentle eyes, as if he was a little moved. ¡°It¡¯s great to hear, Owner.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy to be able to meet you comfortably without making an appointment.¡± Actually, I didn¡¯t say it with such a nuance, but the atmosphere suddenly became ticklish. ¡°¡­It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°It means a lot to me.¡± For him, who had been hovering around for a long time, it was bound to be a big deal. In the past, all he could do was hang around as either a little boy in a squirrel mask or disguised as a regular at her bakery. ¡°I¡¯m glad.¡± He touched his chest and smiled genuinely. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± For a couple of seconds, I stared blankly at that pretty smile. Then a minute passed. At that time, Kyle uttered, ¡°Oh,¡± breaking the moment. ¡°I have found a clue to the snitch.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ Annette asked in surprise. ¡°Is that so? If it¡¯s a clue, you probably haven¡¯t found the culprit yet¡­ Could you please tell me?¡± ¡°That¡­¡± ¡®May I say it?¡¯ The reason Kyle decided to speak up was because he knew she was waiting for him to find the ¡®snitch¡¯. But really¡­ If it was really the grand duke or crown prince¡­ Could she not be hurt? Kyle asked carefully. ¡°What will you do if you find him?¡± ¡°If I find¡­¡± Annette¡¯s pale green eyes darkened. She had a surprisingly cold expression on her face, a stark contrast to how she¡¯s usually like. ¡°Revenge. As I¡¯ve decided to do to Gerard.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The skin under Kyle¡¯s eyes twitched slightly. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about it for the past few days.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°After letting my mother go in such a vain way, I ended up only making assumptions in regret.¡± She lowered her eyes and whispered. ¡°What if the snitch hadn¡¯t told him where I was?¡± The locket started flashing when Derkis Valienne¡¯s life was in jeopardy, but she must have been alive at the time it gave the signal. ¨DEven if she was only breathing in bed. ¡°Then I would have met my mother in El Dorado, without Gerard¡¯s intimidation.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°And since she would be alive¡­ Maybe I would¡¯ve found a way to wake my mother up¡­ No, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll have found it.¡± Annette was full of conviction. She was a person who mostly led life the way she wanted it to. If she had an earnest goal like ¡®her mother¡¯s life¡¯, she would have dedicated everything to achieve it. Even if she failed and could do nothing but cry while holding her mother¡¯s hand, which had already cooled¡­ ¡­She still wouldn¡¯t have suffered such terrible emptiness. ¡°It¡¯s Gerard who took her life, but it¡¯s the snitch that made it happen.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I will hold him accountable.¡± The voice was calm, but there was a very clear will. Kyle quietly faced Annette¡¯s frosty face. His heart became heavy. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡®It¡¯s a big deal.¡¯ He knew. What the Crown Prince Sislin and Grand Duke Heinrich meant to Annette. ¡®When you find out the truth, and then you find out who it is.¡¯ ¡®Can you not be hurt when you see the person responsible for your mother¡¯s death?¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m worried about you, Annette.¡¯ Suddenly, she erased the dark clouds from her face and smiled brightly as usual. ¡°Kyle, if you have a clue, please share.¡± He took a step back. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯d like to tell you when it¡¯s clear. It can lead to strange misunderstandings.¡± There was nothing wrong with what Annette said, and it was also true that the snitch was to some extent responsible for the death of her mother. ¡®¡ªThe other party probably didn¡¯t intend it.¡¯ Because no one knew who her mother was at the time. But it would be cruel to Annette to make her doubt both of the people she could rely on right now. So it was right to say at least after it was certain. ¡°I promise you that I will find it soon.¡± She had a curious face, but she quickly responded with respect for Kyle¡¯s decision. ¡°Okay.¡± Kyle looked at her bright face and asked cautiously. ¡°What are you doing these days¡­ Are you okay?¡± ¡°Of course~! I am working hard just like when I first opened . I¡¯m learning how to run the duchy, and I¡¯m also getting used to the title of ¡®Duchess of Valienne¡¯, although I¡¯m still clumsy.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s as charming as being the owner of .¡± Annette whispered quietly. With a face like a sunny spring day. ¡°Also, I am preparing for my mother¡¯s funeral. I will try to send her off as nice as I can.¡± Seeing that face, Kyle was more reassured. It seemed like she was doing well. ¡°It¡¯s a relief. I thought you¡¯d always be sad when doing your mother¡¯s work.¡± ¡°I am sad.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡®And here I thought you looked like you had forgotten all your sadness.¡¯ Kyle¡¯s eyes shook. Still, Annette said with a smile on her face. ¡°However, I don¡¯t want to lose the precious ¡®today¡¯ because I¡¯m buried in sadness.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I will live with a lot of positive smiles and happiness every day, as I have always done.¡± In the instant the bright light hit her face, he had the illusion of her young face when she was a child. Annette laughed softly. ¡°I will work hard at what I have to do.¡± ¡ªKyle felt it. The hard wick holding up behind her clear, bright, light-green eyes. She was a stronger woman than he expected. ¡­But still, she was the girl the boy in the baby squirrel mask had admired. Kyle felt his heart beating wildly. CH 120 ¡°You always exceed my expectations¡­ In a good sense.¡± Annette made a slightly surprised face, then smiled like an adult. ¡°Thank you for looking after me.¡± It was a face that was so radiant yet she was completely unaware of it, as if she didn¡¯t care at all. Looking at that bright smile again as if possessed, Kyle immediately came to his senses and kissed the back of her hand. ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to come.¡± The final conclusion of a decade-long mission of escorting her. ¡ªFinding the identity of the snitch. As a courtesy to her, who worked hard every day, Kyle decided to do his best, as always. ¡°Yes, Kyle!¡± Annette bravely replied. As he looked at her like that, his emerald eyes shone tenderly. ¡°¡­And, nevertheless, when unbearable sadness comes rushing in, please find me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Owner.¡± The voice deepened. ¡°I want to be your comfort.¡± ¡®The first person that comes to mind when you¡¯re sad. Someone you want to lean on.¡¯ Maybe because it was another word for love. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Annette looked at Kyle for a moment, then slowly raised her lips. ¡°Thank you so much as always. I mean it.¡± Truly, her face was full of sincerity. Kyle felt that his heart was pounding and his ears were burning for some reason, so he immediately got up and bowed silently. ¡°Then I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± With that, he left the residence of the Duchy of Valienne, seen off by her attendants. Annette then took a sip of tea from the untouched tea set (which Victoria had prepared while waiting for Kyle). The tea was a little cold, but the taste was great. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°Marquis Winston, who just left, has a unique way of looking at the Duchess.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Ah, hawk eyes. Could she see everything? I marveled at Victoria¡¯s sharpness once again. ¡®As expected, first impressions don¡¯t go anywhere.¡¯ As I was organizing my mother¡¯s belongings with her in the study, I inadvertently put the books upside down and said, flustered, ¡°That, well¡­¡± ¡®Victoria, I don¡¯t want you to find out about my entire relationship history just yet.¡¯ But the butler said with all-knowing eyes. ¡°When I was young, I met many men.¡± ¡­Yes? A lot? ¡°Victoria must have been popular because she¡¯s beautiful and confident!¡± Somehow, I happened to use formal speech. I thought I succeeded in speaking informally last time. It was hard to talk casually to the butler, who exuded a strong aura, heuk-heuk. ¡®And strangely, there¡¯s a feeling of a teacher.¡¯ The ¡®teacher¡¯ smiled and said unconventionally. ¡°Of course, when I was young, I took hold of the men of El Dorado and rubbed them.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡®Wow, that¡¯s a line that fits her image.¡¯ ¡°It was the same with the previous duchess.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± My mother? ¡®Please don¡¯t talk about my mother¡¯s career with men.¡¯ ¡°Women of the Duchy of Valienne tend to be like that.¡± At this point, I had no choice but to think of the three rings I had seriously hidden in my drawer. ¡®What do you mean it runs in the family?!¡¯ I felt like I had heard the secret of a great bloodline. I was more shocked than when I inherited the signet ring. ¡°Please tell me, Duchess.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you old enough to start your own family? It¡¯s time to consider a husband. There are three men around you, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡®Are you a total ghost?¡¯ Apparently, this duchy, which was neatly and sensibly managed with no errors, was Victoria¡¯s work. From what I had experienced so far, she has good reactivity and observation skills. It would be generally rude for the butler to ask the owner of the house about her relationships, but she took great care of me and treated me very affectionately. So it didn¡¯t feel insulting at all. For the first time, however, a worry that I could not tell anyone tickled my throat. Victoria handed me my mother¡¯s trinkets and said, ¡°One would be the Crown Prince. He has been calling the Duchess very often these days.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± After all, Sislin was about to go to war because of me, plus it was published in newspapers. ¡­She couldn¡¯t not know. ¡°One must be Grand Duke Heinrich Hyacinth.¡± It¡¯s the same as above. In addition, Heinrich always confidently used the front door when going home despite suddenly appearing on my bed. Ummm, I don¡¯t know why this is happening (it¡¯s like watching a domestic cat play well and then suddenly go ¡®Nya!!!¡¯ then hit the vase on the table with a cotton-like paw, dropping it). ¡®Well, originally, my baby does a lot of things that are difficult to understand.¡¯ Victoria continued, her usually strict eyes shining. ¡°Finally, Marquis Winston¡¯s eyes light up whenever he looks at the Duchess. Full of affection.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Was it that kind of look? I guess everyone can see it. I didn¡¯t know because I had been looking at those eyes all this while. ¡°That¡¯s right, Victoria. Those three.¡± When I affirmed, she smiled quietly. ¡°What does the Duke think of them?¡± Heinrich, Sislin, and Kyle. It was the first time I was asked what I thought of the three of them. ¡°Are you sure about anyone?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Victoria was secretly inquiring. About my heart. As I fiddled with the old books I had touched, I sorted out the emotions I had been holding on to for a long time. And confessed for the first time. ¡°There¡¯s one I¡¯m instinctively attracted to, but I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s serious or not.¡± Victoria listened quietly. ¡°Do I love him, or do I want to pick up pretty flowers by the roadside and put it in my pocket?¡± ¡°Is there any reason why you don¡¯t feel the former?¡± ¡°¡­I know the other side of him.¡± The original Sislin. The setting of Sislin itself. ¡°And the other one is familiar and comfortable, but I also get butterflies in my stomach.¡± I couldn¡¯t let go of my heart for Heinrich. He was my favorite, he was a boy I loved so much, and I still sincerely hoped for his happy ending. Victoria nodded her head. ¡°And the other one¡­¡± I remembered the last man who smiled charmingly. When I think of Kyle, I always feel the same way. My heart was always warm. ¡°I¡¯m very grateful to him.¡± ¡°I think we can seek asylum in the western Helatan Empire.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± What? Asylum, all of a sudden? I thought it was a joke I didn¡¯t know, but Victoria didn¡¯t smile at all and maintained a serious face. She deliberately raised her monocle and explained. ¡°A woman in the Helatan Empire doesn¡¯t only have one husband. It¡¯s not uncommon for a wife to have three men as her husbands.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?!¡± ¡°In my opinion, if you defect, all three of them will be happy to follow.¡± She pointed out sternly. ¡°Because you are a duchess, you cannot get married three times in El Dorado. You can¡¯t do anything that goes against good morals. Never.¡± Very conservative, yet very open-minded! ¡®¡­Butler, you¡¯re like a cheokhwabi which is soaked in a lot of western water?¡¯ (TL/N: cheokhwabi/??? are anti-appeasement steles, 19th century monuments built in Korea to ostracize Westerners. Basically, as said earlier, very conservative, yet very open-minded.) It¡¯s a difficult concept. I replied, my pupils shaking. ¡°I¡­ I never thought of that. I wish to have only one husband.¡± She responded as though it was truly unfortunate. ¡°That¡¯s too bad. You have 24 hours a day, but you want to have only one husband.¡± ¡°Ahaha.¡± Why, with that logic, since the earth was round and wide, was it okay to have husbands on each continent? I smiled awkwardly and told her that I could clean the remaining on my own, and Victoria just took her leave. ¡°¡ªWhew.¡± I sighed quietly and continued cleaning my mother¡¯s study. That was then. Sparkle. ¡°¡­¡­?¡± There was a shiny object in the corner. It was an old book, but it was twinkling as if it was alive. ¡®Open me up.¡¯ ¡®Right now.¡¯ It felt like the thick, red-covered book was seducing and guiding me. I took the book out. A large palm was drawn on the cover. ¡°What is this?¡± When I tried to open the book¡­ Strangely, the book did not open like a clam with a tight mouth. Dubious, I placed my palm against the large, inconsistent palm print. Maybe this? And, at that very moment. Swoosh¨C! The large palm has shrunk to fit the shape of my palm. Then, a bright light filled the room and the book opened. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± My eyes widened. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ Kyle, alone, pondered the conversations he had with Annette. ¡°Revenge, as I have decided to do to Gerard.¡± This afternoon. One-eye, who went out to identify Duncan and Owin¡¯s alibi, contacted Kyle. And found the snitch. It wouldn¡¯t take him even an hour to gather the perfect evidence. For Kyle, it was the perfect time to think deeply. ¡°It was Gerard who took my mother¡¯s life, but it was the snitch who created the situation.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I will hold him accountable.¡± Which one would be better? For Annette. Whether the culprit was Sislin or Heinrich, the situation would be impossible to grasp. Kyle, immersed in his thoughts and tapping the table with his hand, finally heard a knock and One-eye came in. ¡°Master, I finally found it.¡± ¡°Who is it?¡± When asked without delay, One-eye immediately answered clearly. ¡°The snitch was Duncan.¡± ¡ªThe culprit is Heinrich! CH 121 ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ [Welcome. Child of Valienne.] Swaah¡ª Purple and pale red flowers were in full bloom amidst the pouring mystic light, and the image of a goddess with her eyes closed appeared above the book that opened by itself. ¡®The goddess of goodness and charity¡­¡¯ I knew her name. ¡®Valienne¡¯. It was the goddess on the emblem of the Duchy of Valienne. [This book is a legacy that our ancestors left to the children of Valienne.] Badump, badump, badump. My heart raced rapidly. It was a legacy left by my ancestors. What¡¯s written? Miraculously, the goddess didn¡¯t even move her mouth, but I heard her voice. [If you found this book, you must have inherited the ¡®Sorcerer¡¯s Soul¡¯.] ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Was it a characteristic of my family to inherit the sorcerer¡¯s soul? The goddess answered my questions before I even uttered them. [This book was left by Manis Valienne, the first head of Valienne, who inherited the ¡®power of the source¡¯ from your ancestors.] ¡®Manis Valienne.¡¯ I recalled the portrait hanging on the stairs. The portrait of the first head of the family. I heard that the first head devoted herself to saving lives for a very long time. She was a person who traveled all over the continent to serve. She wandered even when she was at an old age with her husband, a healer, and her life ended that way. The proud face Victoria had as she described came to mind. [Manis left a message to Annette about what she experienced as a ¡®Successor¡¯.] Cheuuk¡ª The pages of the book turned over on its own, and the words written on it floated in the air next to me and gradually became clearer. Like a flame that grows stronger. A 12-year-old meets Exordium for the first time. The same age as me when I inherited the power! ¡®Let¡¯s read it line by line¡­¡¯ ¡®Slowly¡­¡¯ Like the sand washed away by the waves, the letters scattered and new words took its place. It was mostly Manis¡¯ biography. Mistakes, realizations, and things to pay attention to while dealing with the power were written in full. I read it unconsciously. If it¡¯s the power to change the fate of others¡­ One day, the sentence she would have come to a conclusion was also written there. I want to devote all my power to saving those who are dying miserably. She was a really nice person. My ancestor. The only power she used was . She met a man endowed with a small healing power, but was so soft-hearted and kind that he was only taken advantage of. She loved him, and used the power of Exordium on his healing ability. Like that, she saved many people, and died peacefully in her old age with her beloved husband. And a few days before her death, she received a revelation. One of your descendants will once again inherit the soul of Exordium. ¡®That¡¯s why she left this book behind.¡¯ Actually, I once asked Um about the other successors. ¡°Um, the other heirs seem to have lived great lives with the power of ¡®Exordium¡¯, can you please tell me? I¡¯m very curious.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s forbidden.¡± ¡°¡­Why?¡± ¡°Because we were given the role of providing minimal guidance. You better learn how to use your power yourself. But if I told other people¡¯s stories, it would unintentionally become a ¡®spoiler¡¯.¡± Um shrugged and seemed kind of sheepish for some reason, and continued, ¡°Actually, not all of the heirs lived great lives.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­There was one other guy like you. A person who doesn¡¯t have much greed and is just kind.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. The both of you have the same soul.¡± It was clear that the person he was speaking of at that time was my ancestor. At the time, I let it pass without a second thought. Like a model student, I reviewed the contents of the book once again. Then a strange thing happened. The letters of the part I wanted to read again spun next to the goddess. There it was written: ¡¸Spells that deal with light and fire, call the name of power. ¡®Sordi¡¯, when you want to use the power of light. And when you want to use the power of fire, its ¡®Um¡¯.¡¹ ¡®All this while, I¡¯ve been calling them by name.¡¯ In terms of magic, I never imagined that this would be the ¡®starter¡¯. Slowly, I reached out my hand and shouted. ¡°Sordi.¡± Just then, an enormous power of light that I had never seen before erupted from my hand, releasing an enormous shockwave. If the Goddess of Valienne did not capture the power in time and neutralize it¡­ ¡°¡­It almost destroyed the wall.¡± I looked at my hand in disbelief. What did I just do? ¡®If it¡¯s this much, shouldn¡¯t I be the next tower lord (though it¡¯s not magic)?¡¯ That¡¯s freaking insane for a duchess. ¡°Um!¡± Whoosh! Then, a huge fire erupted, almost as explosive as a dragon¡¯s breath. ¡°Wow.¡± If the Goddess of Valienne hadn¡¯t restrained that power as well, I would have burned down the ducal residence. ¡®If I had discovered these starters as a child, I would have peed.¡¯ It was amazing. Who would have known that I would be able to handle such an explosive power when I was a level 6 incompetent in the Forest? ¡®Life must be lived to the end.¡¯ ¡°Goddess of mercy, I have another question about the records left by my ancestor.¡± The Goddess of Valienne put both hands together, and a word formed. Clear black letters floated in the air. ¡¸Flowering.¡¹ ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. It is written that I have to go through a moment of flowering to ¡®complete¡¯ my strength, can you please tell me?¡± (TL/N: ¡®??¡¯ can mean enlightenment or flowering/blooming. Based on the imagery and overall writing, I went with ¡®flowering¡¯, the attainment of an optimum stage of development.) However, nothing about the flowering was written in detail. ¡®It just mentioned the premonitory symptoms.¡¯ Manis said the sudden burst of power without a spell one day was an indication. If that¡¯s the case, there was definitely an instance already. ¡®When I met the chasers.¡¯ In that dangerous moment, I suddenly used the power of Um greatly. [When that moment blooms, you will know it. At that time, you will be able to use all other abilities, not just fire and light.] ¡®Things like recovery and amplification.¡¯ The goddess¡¯ words continued as she gently extended her hand with her eyes closed. [There are already signs of flowering, Annette. Around¡­ It must be affecting you in some way. ] If there¡¯s an influence¡­ ¡®Sislin.¡¯ Suddenly, Sislin¡¯s face appeared. It was said that my powers was making him stronger. ¡®I can¡¯t control it, but my power of amplification is getting stronger.¡¯ Would I also experience flowering someday? It was written as the moment of perfect resonance. For some reason, I sat still doing nothing. Tok tok¡ª It was then. A knock on the door was heard. Then a voice came from outside the door. It was Victoria. ¡°There was a loud noise inside. Are you okay, Duchess?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m fine! ¡­It¡¯s just that I found a video sphere and watched it for a while.¡± When I hurriedly settled down and looked back, the beautiful flowers and the goddess disappeared without a trace. Even the book that spoke to me had evaporated very cleanly. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I blankly looked down at my hands. ¡®It seemed as if I was possessed.¡¯ Only two hands remained. And the feeling at that time when dealing with explosive power. I slowly clenched my fists and decided. I will save someone with this power and give someone the punishment they deserve. ¡ªCertainly. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°Are you sure you want to go alone?¡± Duncan, who had always been loyal to his master, asked politely. His beautiful and arrogant master declared that he would go to the tower alone. Due to the nature of the originally closed off Magic Tower, it was in principle to go in and out alone. Only Heinrich¡¯s name was written on the invitation letter of Belsac, Heinrich¡¯s birth father, which meant that only the owner of the name was allowed to enter. His eyes became thin. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s not like I¡¯ve gone in only once or twice.¡± ¡°However¡­¡± ¡®This time, aren¡¯t you visiting your biological father?¡¯ Duncan grew up in an ordinary family, so he didn¡¯t understand the wounds of Heinrich. Of course, Duncan didn¡¯t want to accompany Heinrich for romantic reasons such as fear of him getting hurt. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Duncan. I will accept your kind heart that worries about me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡®¡­Not that. The last time you went, didn¡¯t you grab a wizard by the neck?¡¯ How hard was it to fix that? Duncan¡¯s eyes tightened because he feared that the ¡®Vivantum¡¯ would strike again. It would have been difficult if his crazy owner destroyed the tower after having his trauma touched. He sensed a month of overtime. ¡°Anyway, if I go, everyone will praise me. As the next owner of the Magic Tower, I¡¯m just going to show off my dignity.¡± As if he had already won, the beautiful man arrogantly touched his red lips. ¡®I¡¯m going crazy.¡¯ Reluctantly, Duncan bowed his head. ¡°Please be safe.¡± Not his master, but the other person, please be safe. ¡°Goodbye, Grand Duke.¡± And that afternoon. After meeting his master, Duncan was heading to the downtown area alone to do the things that Heinrich had asked him to do. Before arriving, he heard a loud roar from the horse, and the carriage was forcibly stopped. It was an attack. ¡°It¡¯s a carriage that goes to see Grand Duke Hyacinth¡¯s work. How dare you, some random¡­!¡± When Duncan opened his car window, shouting sarcastically, A gangster who crashed into the carriage opened the door and laughed. A sizable gold tooth was visible. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°You know my face? Don¡¯t you?¡± Duncan¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°Winston¡¯s¡­?¡± ¡°Please understand the rough way of transportation. Who told you to do something bad?¡± Damn it. The moment Duncan felt that he was ¡®f*cked¡¯, a magic ball was instantly summoned. At the same time, the man with the gold tooth took out a magic gun that matched his size at a high speed. The instant the two collided, a huge roar exploded to the point that the carriage broke. CH 122 ¡°Let go of me!¡± Duncan resisted fiercely. Duncan, who had always been neat, could no longer be described as such. The vest over his shirt was torn, and there were scratches on his cheek. ¡°You stay still. Don¡¯t flutter like live fish on land. Tsk.¡± Duncan was tied tightly to a restraint sphere that neutralized his magical powers. The large man wiped his bloodstained hands on Duncan¡¯s shirt and dragged him along. Earlier, the massive magic bullet fired right at Duncan¡¯s magic ball and detonated it. The carriage was shattered, and the two skillfully saved their lives, but in the end, the experienced mercenary managed to catch Duncan. ¡°His Excellency the Grand Duke will not stand still.¡± As Duncan struggled, he widened his eyes and glared fiercely. His captor replied as he scratched the nape of his neck. ¡°Huh? Are you the only one who has a master? I have a master too. My master won¡¯t stand still.¡± ¡°Right, right.¡± Beside him, another member of Larva (who came to accompany his comrade) added with a nod. Then, perhaps hot-headed from being dragged along, Duncan shouted. ¡°My master has a very dirty personality!¡± The chubby Larva member shouted back in a fit of rage. ¡°Our master flips out gently!!!¡± That was the moment. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Without realizing it, they exchanged glances of compassion towards each other. The two felt a strong affinity. Alas, how futile was the battle of craziness between masters. In any case, only the subordinates serving them were robbed. Somehow quiet, they entered the drawing room of the residence of Marquis Winston in a fairly sombre mood. Kyle occupied the sofa, burying his body deep in it, clasping his chin. ¡°Get down.¡± Before him, Duncan went down on his knees. He clenched his teeth. It was Duncan who was treated like the limbs of ¡®Vivantum¡¯. Besides, this highly loyal deputy did not easily bow his head in front of others. ¨DThat was Heinrich¡¯s order. The arrogant owner treated even his limbs like that. Therefore, even though he was tied up in front of the marquis and forced to kneel, his eyes were rough like a freshly captured beast. ¡°Marquis Winston, I will not forgive this disrespect. You should have made a formal summons request to the Grand Duke.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°If I go back, His Excellency the Grand Duke will formally take this matter into account.¡± Kyle, who had been silently wearing leather gloves, opened his mouth belatedly. A soft yet deep voice flowed out. ¡°Are you sure you can go back to your master?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± For a moment, Duncan¡¯s spine stood upright as if he had been pierced by a bamboo spear. This man was serious. Perhaps his grave could be this drawing room. He had the vigor and momentum to do so. ¡®The smell of blood.¡¯ Even though the marquis had calm and docile eyes, Duncan could feel the relentless murderous intent behind them. ¡°I won¡¯t drag this out. Are you the one who gave away Lady Annette¡¯s position to the prince?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Duncan¡¯s eyes were grayed out. It was then that he realized why he had been captured. Kyle¡¯s eyes darkened to a deep green in the living room where there was no light. He pressed Duncan, who had shut his mouth tightly. It was a voice that lacked emotion and had no pitch. ¡°Thanks to you, the Duchess is in danger. She was content with living a simple life there.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Also, I lost my men in an unofficial battle.¡± It was something Duncan didn¡¯t know. That fought there¡­ But it was something that would happen if Gerard had dispatched his chasing squad, and in turn, if the marquis had tried to protect Annette and the island of Bayonaire. To begin with, Duncan was unaware of the situation at that time. Because he wasn¡¯t on Bayonaire Island. ¡ªSince, secretly, he went to El Dorado to meet Gerard. ¡°Answer me. Why did you do that?¡± Kyle¡¯s eyes turned frosty. ¡°What did your master say to give such an order? What a crazy thing to do.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Duncan remained steadfast in silence. At that moment, the marquis¡¯ hand was raised. A strong hand in a leather glove slapped his cheek violently. He fell sideways with a loud bang. Blood pooled in his mouth. There was no warmth or mercy in the hand that grabbed his hair roughly. Crackle¡ª A shotgun was stuck in Duncan¡¯s mouth. The marquis interrogated him without hesitation as he drooled saliva on his chin like a gagged beast. ¡°My brothers died in that battle.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± In an instant, Duncan closed his eyes as if foreshadowing death. He felt he was going to meet his end here if he didn¡¯t say it. ¡ªDuncan decided to just die. Heinrich was his master, whom he had accumulated much more hateful feelings than affection for, but he did not dare betray him. As if reading the change of heart, Kyle¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°In that case, I have no choice but to tell everything to the Duchess of Valienne.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°That it was the work of your master, Grand Duke Hyacinth. Which dragged Prince Gerard in and ruined Bayonaire Island, and as though that wasn¡¯t enough, it led her mother to her death.¡± The leader of Larva was a person who was good at intimidation and knew how to effectively move people¡¯s hearts. In a way that only tells the truth. ¡°She thinks that the snitch who gave her position is responsible for her mother¡¯s death.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I will tell her that it is your master.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± It was then that Duncan, who had stubbornly squeezed his eyes shut, opened his eyes. His eyes trembled anxiously. Kyle continued his words, taking in the anxiety and agitation with an expressionless face. ¡°Your master will be very pleased.¡± Duncan knew. That if that happened, his master would be in an irreversible situation. His master¡¯s inner self would die. His master, who has spent his whole life longing for only her, would be shattered. By all means, if he even got a look of contempt from her¡­ ¡­Could he breathe normally and live like a human? ¡°Uhhhhhhhh!!!¡± Only then did Duncan hurriedly struggle and open his mouth. Kyle took his magic gun out of his mouth. ¡°Please don¡¯t do that, please¡­ please, Marquis Winston.¡± Duncan, noticeably humbled, shook his head. ¡°I will tell you everything.¡± To protect his master, he raised his head and said, ¡°My master didn¡¯t mean to do that.¡± ¡®Let¡¯s listen.¡¯ With narrowed eyes, Kyle slowly sat back down on the sofa. Finally, he was going to hear how well Duncan¡¯s opened mouth talked. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°There¡¯s no way that something from a dirty courtesan bloodline could be my son.¡± Little Heinrich was holding his breath, listening to what Belsac, his father, had to say. ¡°Then, Grand Duke, who is the little beggar who came to see you?¡± ¡°An existence that was born because it could not be killed.¡± In response to the question of his noble wife, Belsac described Heinrich in that way. The woman, who must have been his father¡¯s wife, smiled contentedly, and hugged the baby in her arms with tender hands, as if she had never done anything harsh. The baby seemed to be a very, very precious child. It was the day Heinrich first visited his biological father. Hanging outside the window and overhearing their conversation, Heinrich quickly descended to the floor. His little hands were swollen, almost purple, like frostbite, and all he was wearing was a thin coat. His stomach was empty. ¡ªIt was winter. Even after hearing the conversation, he pretended not to know and went to the front door. He would like to meet him, just in case. ¡®When his father sees me, who looks just like him, his heart will change¡­¡¯ As soon as the doorkeeper opened the front door, he frowned at the child who only came to his waist. And, he spit out the words of his master, as nicely as possible. ¡°He says he can¡¯t see you because you¡¯re dirty.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Please leave.¡± If the original words were enough to kill a child¡¯s heart, the nice words were enough to leave an irreversible bruise on the child¡¯s heart. That day, as he left the grand duke¡¯s residence, Heinrich wiped his cheeks with his small hands, again and again. But he couldn¡¯t stop crying. After that, there was no one who visited the funeral of his mother who abandoned the world. Belsac turned a blind eye as if it was a matter of course. Only a young son and a priest who cared for the poor attended the funeral of the courtesan, who had lived a difficult life. ¨DThat was the first and last memory of his biological father Heinrich had. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± This was the 99th floor of the tower. The nine great wizards lived in the tower along with their families. The wizards who worked for them were also living here with their families. Perhaps this was why. In this common space, there were a lot of particularly friendly groups of families. Standing there like a distant stranger¡­ Heinrich whispered in a very low voice. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have come alone.¡± He was floating alone in that warm landscape like an impurity. Kook. Someone pulled Heinrich¡¯s sleeve. From his waist. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Silver hair, and shiny eyes. Red lips like a cherry. It was a boy just like him. ¨DAnd he was also a boy who looked exactly like his father. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± For a moment, Heinrich¡¯s expression crumpled. CH 123 Heinrich realized the moment he saw a child who resembled his biological father. It was ¡®that child¡¯. The newborn baby in a warm blanket. A child who slept soundly as he peered in through the window, shivering from the cold. A child who was carefully born into a perfect family. He was different from him from the start. The boy seemed to be around 12-years-old, and when Heinrich looked into his bright eyes, he was enveloped in strange feelings. And the feeling of that time came back to him. Looking at the white and small infant, Heinrich at the time seemed to have felt a little affection. ¡°It must be my brother¡­ pretty¡­¡± ¡ªThat¡¯s what he said. And the feeling sharper than that faint affection¡­ ¡­Was envy of the child. Madly. But even the feeling of envy seemed to be a crime against his mother, so young Heinrich hid his emotions tightly and swallowed them. The emotions of that time covered Heinrich in an instant. Overall, it was an unpleasant feeling. ¡°Ah.¡± The child looked at Heinrich¡¯s face, and then quickly removed his hand in surprise. ¡°Sorry! I thought it was someone I knew. You look so alike.¡± The child didn¡¯t seem to know Heinrich. The nine great wizard families who live in the Magic Tower occupied only the 99th floor, so they didn¡¯t show up often in the social world. Besides, a child this young wouldn¡¯t even be able to participate in the wizard¡¯s meeting held in the tower. ¡°I¡¯m Eric! The eldest son of Grand Duke Valentino!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Are you a distant relative of our family?!¡± Eric asked with a face that had never been hurt in his life. The child didn¡¯t even look bound by aristocratic formality. The emotions such as ¡®discipline, responsibility, and oppression¡¯ that noble children had as a side effect of high status were not visible on his face. Overflowing love¡­ As if he had grown up very nicely. People who have gone through a difficult childhood often feel intimidated by the aura that radiated such brightness and preciousness, but Heinrich thought to himself. ¡®What is this bastard?¡¯ ¡®What is he saying?¡¯ He made the mistake of grabbing the waist of the person he saw for the first time and started talking in a bright way. Not knowing who he was talking to, being rude. It was a situation that an average person would think, ¡®Am I being too harsh on a child?!¡¯ However, Heinrich, being honest with his feelings, just frowned. ¡°Go away.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± It was then that the child¡¯s eyes trembled. ¡°Grand Prince Eric!¡± At that moment, a woman rushed over and grabbed Eric¡¯s hand. As if to protect him from Heinrich. ¡°H-Hello. Your Excellency, Grand Duke Hyacinth.¡± She seemed to know Heinrich. ¡°Our Grand Prince did not recognize you and committed disrespect. My name is Mislyn Blanchet, the maid working in the Grand Duchy of Valentino.¡± Blanchet was of a marquis family. She was a middle-aged woman with no sense of incompatibility even if she had a child as old as Heinrich. Heinrich looked at her expressionlessly. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°The master is waiting for you. I will take you to him.¡± Eric left with the other attendants with a gloomy face, and Heinrich followed Mislyn¡¯s guidance. After passing through the public space on the 99th floor, a corridor that extended into nine branches came out. She opened her mouth and said while guiding him into the first hallway. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say this, but I¡¯ve always been watching you, Grand Duke Hyacinth.¡± ¡°Me?!¡± ¡°All the servants know.¡± Usually, people only thought that Heinrich merely resembled Grand Duke Valentino¡¯s characteristics (eye and hair color). Sshhh¡ª They would whisper, asking if Heinrich was actually a close relative, but became an orphan for some reason. Even so, the Grand Duke Valentino mercilessly refused to take in the relative and pretended not to know that he was adopted elsewhere. But at least, the servants knew the truth. That a courtesan had his child. And that he coldly abandoned her. Heinrich¡¯s eyes hardened and he raised the corners of his lips. It was a terribly cold smile. ¡°What do you know?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± ¡®Oh, I almost crossed the line.¡¯ A woman named Mislyn, startled by his bleak eyes, immediately bowed her head. Her body trembled in fear. At that moment, a servant who doubles as a gatekeeper appeared, and she nodded her head politely. ¡°Please wait a moment, I¡¯ll go through the procedure, Grand Duke Hyacinth.¡± The Archmage¡¯s residence on the 99th floor of the Magic Tower has always had an entrance procedure woven by complicated magic. ¡°Madam Mislyn, your master is looking for you.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Mislyn, terrified, swallowed her saliva and left, as if her life was miraculously saved. Heinrich only frowned unpleasantly, but did not catch her and make a fuss. ¨DAnyway, he was right in front of his biological father¡¯s residence. It was then. A muttering conversation could be heard from the corner of the tower. ¡°I think the master is trying to apologize today. His Excellency the Grand Duke will soon be the full-fledged master of the tower, and he will see him often in the future.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡®My father, he wants to apologize to me?¡¯ ¡°I agree with you. As people get older, they tend to dwell on past mistakes¡­ It¡¯s late, but I can¡¯t imagine how much he would¡¯ve thought of a son who he didn¡¯t treat well?¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad he realized right now.¡± ¡°It¡¯s understandable that he¡¯s sorry. Such a genius son would have been the light of the family.¡± ¡°I know right.¡± Heinrich could hear soft conversations from afar thanks to his highly developed magical powers, and the servants did not even know he was eavesdropping. They just disappeared after turning the corner. After a while. After the procedure was over, and Heinrich could finally enter the drawing room, he was confused by the feelings that were tangling up. ¡®What are these feelings?¡¯ He felt his chest tighten. ¡®I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s going to apologize.¡¯ Only one thing seemed to be clear. He was sad now. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°My master¡­¡± Duncan opened his mouth. About the whole story. ¡°He was anxious from the beginning.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°From the first day we arrived on the island.¡± ¨DTo the extent that he would rather say that the past 10 years of being crazy have been more comfortable. Heinrich, who found Annette in Bayonaire, was always nervous and unsure. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go to bed?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t sleep.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Heinrich replied, standing and staring at the little log house on the hill. ¡°If I fall asleep, I think Sister will leave forever in the meantime.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°She used to try to sneak away when I was asleep.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t Miss Annette promise not to leave?¡± ¡°The promise is¡­¡± Heinrich¡¯s lips rose bitterly. ¡°She did it when she left me.¡± Even at the time when she locked him up and left him coldly forever. He actually wanted to ask, ¡®How can you leave me and go away?¡¯ ¡®I can¡¯t live a single day without you, you¡¯re all I have.¡¯ But in their reunion, Annette was so precious and sweet that Heinrich dared not even blame her. Swallowing anxiety alone¡­ The little piece of affection she gave him was like poison and he couldn¡¯t help but put it in his mouth. ¡°Duncan, I found a way. How to make Sister unable to leave.¡± Heinrich said that if Gerard found her, she would have no choice but to marry him. ¡°If she doesn¡¯t want to be registered with Gerard, marriage is the easiest way for now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯m the man most attractive to her.¡± Heinrich was completely convinced. ¡°But I¡¯m probably the most comfortable person to marry. I¡¯m going to seduce her through a ¡®contract marriage¡¯.¡± After listening, Duncan asked, ¡°Do you want to take Miss Annette to El Dorado, where you live?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? It doesn¡¯t matter where I live. If Sister likes it, I can make bread for the rest of my life on a small island. However¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t do this, Sister will leave me. Or go to Sislin.¡± Saying that, Heinrich had an anxious look like an 11-year-old boy. He wanted to do something bad because he was afraid that the affection of the girl he loved would be taken away. Just like when he secretly told the location of the hideout to incite the model student. Heinrich¡¯s heart had not grown at all since Annette left and remained the same. ¡°If Miss Annette finds out later¡ª¡± ¡°Sister shouldn¡¯t know that I did something bad.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Never.¡± The narrowed purple eyes felt arrogant as usual, but his eyes gleamed with an anxiety that he could not hide. Anyway, Gerard was bound to come soon. Sislin and Heinrich could not stay on Bayonaire Island indefinitely. The two were already rumored to be looking for Annette, therefore, Gerard would be suspicious if both were away from the capital for a long time. In turn, Gerard had no choice but to notice at any time. If Annette found out about this, she would leave Bayonaire and run away again. Heinrich looked out of the window and muttered expressionlessly. ¡°I know. I¡¯m not normal.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s all. How else can I be with Annette?¡± ¡®Sister, I¡¯m sorry.¡¯ Like someone said, it¡¯s like a Vivantum with a broken part somewhere in his brain. But he didn¡¯t know any other way. ¡®How can I catch you¡­¡¯ ¡®How can I not be left alone?¡¯ ¡®How can I make you love me even as much as a single piece of my heart that loves you madly?¡¯ He still had no idea. It was killing him more and more. ¡®Annette, save me. No, kill me.¡¯ ¡®Let me know how you can drive this dark and terrible anxiety away.¡¯ ¡­Please. CH 124 ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ After sending Duncan away. Kyle was deeply troubled. For a while, he sat motionless, his body sunk deep into the sofa. Chubby and One-eye were standing with one on each side of Kyle, shifting their eyes to each other and conversing (a higher-order conversation more complex than sign language). Chubby shifted his eyes and blinked. ¡®Aren¡¯t we supposed to find the culprit, One-eye? We need to inform her quickly that the culprit is the Grand Duke. Then we will wipe out a rival.¡¯ One-eye blinked back. ¡®Because it¡¯s a shameful way. Master must be in trouble.¡¯ ¡°¡ªIt¡¯s a concern.¡± Right then. With a heavy heart, Kyle opened his mouth. One-eye shrugged his shoulders, thinking about his master¡¯s fair conscience. ¡°Perhaps the master became sympathetic to Grand Duke Hyacinth?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± No, Master, wasn¡¯t the grand duke such a disrespectful person?! Belatedly, Chubby hurriedly looked at his master, and saw that his green eyes were enveloped in a subtle madness. ¡®Ah, Master again¡­¡¯ The members of Larva were all amazed at the same time. Kyle commented, stroking his chin. ¡°He¡¯s a naughty bastard, but it¡¯s really good that he dug his own grave.¡± One-eye, who was proud to know the master well, secretly revived his argument. ¡°Doesn¡¯t the Master not like such cheap methods?¡± ¡°Originally, love is something that can only be achieved through dirty and cheap ways, and by any means possible.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡®Oh, you¡¯re pretty good?¡¯ For a master who was ignorant of love, it was great progress. Kyle continued quietly. ¡°It was thoroughly realized on the island of Bayonaire.¡± While the two were fighting, the shocking behavior of Heinrich, which led him to be held in Annette¡¯s arms like a fox cub, gave him this enlightenment. ¡°¡­Sister.¡± ¡°¡­I was so scared.¡± In addition, these days, the crown prince was using his position (this was what it looked like to Kyle) to invite Annette to the Imperial Palace from time to time. ¡°Everyone is fighting with all their might, regardless of means.¡± At first he thought they were just crazy people, but as time went on, he understood. He realized that everyone was like that because they have the same mind as him. ¡®We¡¯re desperate.¡¯ They thought they couldn¡¯t be without her. Their entire selves, they were dedicating their whole lives to her alone. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± So there would be no concessions either. The only thing he worried about right now was¡­ If he revealed the identity of the informant, she would be hurt. This wasn¡¯t actually an opportunity to eliminate a rival, but the end of a ¡®request¡¯ she made. Annette had a right to know about this case, and it was morally right to say it. However¡­ She would be seriously hurt. Kyle pressed a hot hand to his tired eyes. A deep sigh poured out of him. ¡®Yes, that¡¯s a concern.¡¯ ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°Porridge. Your Highness.¡± I was at the Imperial Palace. After Sislin claimed that his symptoms got better when he was with me, he called me frequently. When it became too frequent, I eventually declared. ¡°I won¡¯t come here anymore unless you¡¯re in a situation where you¡¯re sick enough to only eat porridge.¡± Then today, suddenly, I got a call. That it hurts enough to eat porridge. ¡®You¡¯re such a fool.¡¯ I stared intently at Sislin. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Sislin calmly leaned on the bed and just looked at me with his characteristic sharp eyes. Maybe it was the fever that made his eyes look more tired, but that was all. ¡®It doesn¡¯t look fatal.¡¯ Then, Sislin ran his hand slowly across his defined neckline. It was only because of the heat, but from Annette¡¯s point of view, it seemed a bit provocative. His slender jaw casted shadows over his deeply engraved collarbone. I rolled my eyes slightly and held out the tray of porridge. ¡°You can eat it yourself.¡± ¡°What are you talking about. You have to feed me.¡± Sislin¡¯s eyes widened, then he smiled softly. ¡°Baby.¡± It was a sweet but terribly low voice, so it sounded strange for some reason. ¡°You¡¯re being too harsh on a sick person.¡± It¡¯s unavoidable to be sick, but it¡¯s hard to kid yourself using that as an excuse. ¡®If you let go of your mind, you will be swept away.¡¯ I said sternly. ¡°You can eat this much yourself, Your Highness the Crown Prince.¡± It wasn¡¯t a disease that makes your hands and feet fall off, right, Your Highness the Crown Prince? ¡°Are you ordering me to feed you?¡± I asked, deliberately narrowing my eyes. If that¡¯s the case, I would have no choice but to answer no. This was what I had my eye on. If it was Sislin, he wouldn¡¯t give orders to me. Just as expected. He laughed as if he had heard something funny. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then I will call a maid to help you eat. I¡¯ll pull the string.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t have the strength to eat with a spoon.¡± I said deliberately, teasingly, then got up and brought my hand to the calling cord on the bedside table. It was a little far. As I stretched out my hand a little more, a strong arm wrapped around my waist. ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± Falling over the Sislin was instantaneous. His face was right in front of my nose. For the first time, I vividly recognized the fact that this was a ¡®bedroom¡¯. It was only the two of us. It was a dangerous situation from the beginning. Perhaps the fever had risen a lot; sweet and hot breath flew past the nape of my neck. However, the large hand that gripped my waist felt tight. As I tried to move, strength entered my arm. His red eyes narrowed dangerously. ¡°Stay still.¡± The low voice pierced my heart. ¡°It¡¯s an order.¡± ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ Heinrich sat in the drawing room of Grand Duke Valentino and looked around. The marble floor was covered with the finest carpet, the buffalo leather sofa was comfortable to sit on, and the family emblem engraved on the pillar was decorated with gold and rubies. ¡®He¡¯s still eating and buying well.¡¯ He was a little bit perplexed. Heinrich¡¯s biological father, Belsac Valentino, lived in the mansion of the grand duchy outside before he was selected as one of the nine archmages of the Magic Tower. That was the place little Heinrich went to in search for his biological father, but even then¡­ ¡®It was gorgeous.¡¯ Heinrich was so discouraged. Belsac was a man who always ate and lived well. ¡ªBut why? ¡®Why abandon Mom and me?¡¯ Heinrich gently clenched his fists and frowned. It was then. ¡°As people get older, they tend to dwell on past mistakes¡­ It¡¯s late, but I can¡¯t imagine how much he would¡¯ve thought of a son who he didn¡¯t treat well?¡± A phrase from the conversations the servants had that came to mind. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The fist that he clenched was loosened a little. Heinrich clasped her chin and exhaled slowly. At that moment, the heavy drawing room door opened and a tall man appeared. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Belsac Valentino. He was wrinkled for a middle-aged age, but he looked quite a bit like Heinrich. He had a much more masculine line than Heinrich, who was as beautiful as his mother, but they were the same in one feature¡­ ¡®Haughty eyes¡¯. It was clear that he had passed that onto Heinrich. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The moment he met his father for the first time. The second he saw him, he felt a strange feeling, like his toes were tickling. Belsac sat down and looked at Heinrich, who had not said a word (he appeared a little stiff), and then took a seat across him. Badump, badump. Heinrich¡¯s heart beat a little faster. ¡®What would your first words be?¡¯ Asking for forgiveness? Regretting the past? Contrary to Heinrich¡¯s complicated thoughts, Belsac¡¯s words were unexpectedly simple. ¡°Duke Hyacinth, you had a hard time coming.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡®He left me with my mother since the umbilical cord was attached, and that¡¯s the first thing he said face-to-face?¡¯ Heinrich smiled ¡®cheekily¡¯, but there was a glint in his eyes and his facial muscles stiffened. The courteous attitude he used to treat strangers was irritating. The brazenness of calling his adoptive father¡¯s family name casually. So the honesty that Heinrich would never have said normally jumped out. ¡°To the useless livestock that you threw away, are you going to apologize now?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Belsac¡¯s face hardened a little at the unrelenting and stinging remark. But that was it. Belsac was just looking at Heinrich with an unfamiliar face, with purple eyes that looked just like Heinrich¡¯s. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s too late to be a father?¡± Heinrich had a habit of speaking more crookedly when he was in pain. ¡°When I¡¯m in the womb of a mother who¡¯s not an aristocrat, I¡¯m like trash¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Now that it seems I¡¯ll be the next tower lord, I guess I look useful, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°No.¡± Belsac bluntly denied it. In an instant, Heinrich felt his eyes get wet. When he saw that face, he knew. His father did not call him to apologize. At the same time, he judged soberly. A self-deprecating laughter came out of nowhere. ¡®It was a hopeless dream.¡¯ Heinrich¡¯s gaze was focused to one side. A ¡®family portrait¡¯ hung in the middle of the drawing room. Belsac, his wife Ariadne, son Eric, and youngest daughter Marina. ¡ªIt was a solid and perfect family. There were no regrets at all for a woman or a child that was thrown away in the past. ¡°I¡¯ve never thought of you as my ¡®son¡¯.¡± Belsac slowly clasped his arms and leaned his body back. ¡°I¡¯ll be blunt.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Resign from the candidacy of tower lord. A lowly fellow like you doesn¡¯t deserve it.¡± CH 125 ¡°I¡­ Why?¡± Heinrich asked with a blank expression at Belsac¡¯s words to resign from the candidacy of the tower lord. Belsac¡¯s body stiffened and shrank. By his standards, a lowly person doesn¡¯t show any manners, and has an attitude of asking a question. In fact, he was the most influential ¡®next master¡¯ among the nine archmages. He did a lot of things in the tower. It was all for a rosy future, for his own desires. The desire was precisely directed at the position of the tower lord. ¡°I have dedicated my life to the tower! Even before entering the tower! It¡¯s absurd for a guy like you who suddenly appeared to become the owner of the tower.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Moreover, to a cheap half-blood bastard like you.¡± Heinrich lifted the corners of his reddish-red lips resembling his mother¡¯s and smiled. Heinrich¡¯s smile was beautiful as always. As such, Belsac¡¯s impression was distorted. ¡­What¡¯s so funny? It was such an unexpected reaction. Heinrich as a child was just a small, fragile boy who cried and left when he heard his abusive language. However, the child he abandoned had now grown into a wonderful adult. ¡°Hah, you¡¯re begging for fear of losing your place as the ¡®Master of the Magic Tower¡¯ to that same half-blood bastard.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°You can win the ¡®vote¡¯ fair and square and become the master of the tower, right? ¡­Hm.¡± A faint, sly smile made its way on his face. ¡°Or do you have no confidence?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± Bang¡ª Belsac couldn¡¯t win and hit the table. His face turned red in an instant. ¡°After all, was your genius talent not given by me!¡± It was really pathetic. It was something he didn¡¯t want to say because he was afraid it would sound cheap. ¡°I wasn¡¯t supposed to meet that lowly courtesan in the first place¡­!¡± Warak, Heinrich¡¯s forehead crumpled. Clink¡ª At that moment, the red-violet aura extending from Heinrich shattered the surrounding decorations all at once. ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± Belsac¡¯s eyes shook. Among the archmages of the Magic Tower, there was no one who had this kind of intimidation. He felt the overwhelming difference in power. Why people called Heinrich a genius, Belsac realized in an instant. It was difficult to lift a hand from the aura he was emitting. The voice sounded even more threatening because it was relaxed and languid. ¡°Don¡¯t curse my mother. Because she was a much nobler woman than a vulgar human like you.¡± A purple gaze shone like a glare of darkness. Although those purple eyes resembled his, they were very different. He looked just like the woman who, even after being abandoned, promised herself that she would give birth to a child and raise him by herself. Belsac lost his ¡®arrogance¡¯ at this moment and trembled. Gwak¡ª When Heinrich beckoned, Belsac¡¯s collar swung away. At the same time, Heinrich stood up from his seat, grabbing the neck. ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± His gaze moved closer to the tip of his nose. ¡°I have surpassed you. Don¡¯t get me wrong, because the frugal talent you gave me isn¡¯t even a hundredth of my strength.¡± ¡ªYou don¡¯t have a single piece of my life that you can claim. Heinrich warned the ¡®perfect¡¯ person who looked like him. ¡°And never call me again, Grand Duke Valentino.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°I am not very patient.¡± Roughly letting the weary Belsac go as if throwing it away, Heinrich walked out of the drawing room. As usual, with an arrogant and noble gait. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°It¡¯s an order.¡± Sislin seemed to be doing magic. It was as if the words themselves became shackles and wrapped around the whole body. I couldn¡¯t move. Normally, I would have made a playful comment, such as being disappointed that he was giving me orders. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Why? The feeling of receiving the gaze of the intense red eyes, which was darkened by that desire, was different from usual. Even though I was out of breath, I felt strangely¡­ not bad. ¡°Annette.¡± It was such an unfamiliar look. He never let go of the initiative with a domineering force, and at the same time, he had a clinging gaze. It was to the point that he looked desperate and pitiful. ¡°You seem to have forgotten my proposal.¡± ¡°Because I don¡¯t have just one ring.¡± When I deliberately responded coldly, Sislin¡¯s eyes twisted strangely. Eyes as deep as bog turned to me, and his lips, wrapped in his sleek jawline, rose nicely. He shuddered and replied as if it was normal. ¡°But it¡¯s me who likes it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± My eyelashes quivered slightly. It felt like my cheeks were blushing, but I hope Sislin didn¡¯t know that I was shaking. I deliberately took it boldly. ¡°¡­How are you sure?¡± Even now, I was still looking for a break, because if he found out that I was attracted to him, he would try to swallow me completely. It would be irreversible. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Sislin lightly lifted my slender wrist. There was a pattern engraved on it that only two people in the world could see. A flower that climbed up the wrist like a vine, and as time went by, as if it used something as nutrients and bloomed more and more splendidly. He traced the clear blue veins of my white flesh with his fingerprints. I reacted sensitively and slowly curled my fingers. It was a thin wrist that looked like it would break if he put too much force on it. When asked how he was sure he liked her, he gave a desperate answer. ¡°I measure your pulse every time I see you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± My lips fell open as if in astonishment, and looked at him in protest. ¡°How could you do such an unsophisticated thing? That¡¯s rude, Your Highness the Crown Prince.¡± The caught heart stinged. ¡®There were times when my heart raced because I was scared.¡¯ I wanted to respond with that, but somehow the words didn¡¯t come out easily. ¡°I¡¯m marked as a rude man anyway, so let¡¯s try a little bit more.¡± ¡­What? That was then. My vision was greatly flipped, and before I knew it, my golden hair was scattered across the bed. Without a moment of resistance, a huge man was draped over me. Badump, badump, badump. The heart started beating without mercy from the instant skin touched skin. The weight I felt as I was pressed down by a muscular body was overwhelming. ¡°¡­Sislin.¡± I frowned and called vaguely. Sislin gently stroked my hair and smiled. ¡°You look insanely pretty from this angle, Annette.¡± In the midst of crazy talk, the way he called my name was sweet. As if possessed, I gazed up at him. How could he be so persistent? Cruelly wrapping his lifeline around my wrists and heart. I could feel Sislin¡¯s gaze on my lips. In an instant, unconsciously, the red lips parted slightly. At that minute movement, Sislin¡¯s dark eyes shone like a beast that wouldn¡¯t miss its prey. If he swallowed it and drank it like life water, it seemed that all this pain would disappear. In actual fact, the more he touched her, the more painful it felt, like dancing in fire, but he just wanted to kiss her. The two lips barely touched. It seemed that if he narrowed the distance just a little, really a little, it would be irreversible. A strange feeling raged through and pierced his body. Both had the same sentiment. Right then. ¡°¡­That¡¯s why.¡± ¨DAt that time, from the moist red lips, just before they touched. ¡°That¡¯s why I can¡¯t believe it, Sislin.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I looked up at him with clear eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you really like me or if you just want to play a game of taking hold of me.¡± Sislin looked down at the woman like a man who had woken up from hypnosis. Annette¡¯s pale green eyes weren¡¯t as distracted as his. It was very strange. Even though she was obviously locked in his arms and looking down, it felt as if she had never been under him. In a power struggle played with a loved one, Sislin always felt like he was losing. It was a defeat that he did not hate, but only with victory could he have her. ¡°How can I make you believe? Let me know.¡± ¡°¡­That, I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡®It¡¯s me, I don¡¯t know the feelings of my heart.¡¯ My eyes darkened slightly. ¡®Because I accepted you only with the heart of my childhood¡­ We¡¯ve been apart for so long.¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s weird.¡¯ ¡®When I try to love you, it feels dangerous.¡¯ I brought my body up and out of the current compromising position. I was determined to be as cool as possible with him. ¡°Sislin¡­¡± There was so much to do for the time being. Finding the snitch, running the duchy well, and taking revenge on Gerard. It was all urgent, so I wanted to keep my feelings for Sislin as the 2nd priority. ¨DThis insecurity and close affection. ¡®If I don¡¯t draw the line, he will encroach on the line as he did before.¡¯ Then I spoke calmly. ¡°I will reject the proposal, Your Highness the Crown Prince.¡± CH 126 ¡°I will decline the marriage proposal, Your Highness the Crown Prince.¡± After Owin called the doctor and had him examine his master, he was told that his condition had gotten even worse. It was a shock. ¡°If it goes on like this, the Crown Prince will die.¡± Unlike Owin, who was startled, Sislin responded bluntly. ¡°I see.¡± ¡®That¡¯s what he said.¡¯ Everyday, he proved he was truly an amazing master. Owin grumbled inwardly as he grabbed a pain reliever. ¡°It is natural for Duchess Annette to refuse. If it¡¯s a partner that doesn¡¯t take care of himself like this, I also wouldn¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°Owin. Shall we make a bet on who will die first?¡± Oops. Owin felt cold sweat running down his back and turned to face his master. Scary eyes, like the lions of hell, were fixed on him. Today¡¯s secret to prolonging life is: Do not provoke a man whose marriage proposal is rejected. ¡°I wanted everything about Annette, but I feel like I have too much ¡®disrespect¡¯.¡± Sislin quietly added strength to his molars, muttering to himself. ¡°For any woman, it will be difficult to accept it easily. If it¡¯s Highness the Crown Prince¡­¡± Owin pondered carefully, as if suddenly possessed by Annette. ¡°Compared to other people, you are definitely the type that is difficult to embrace.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying a lot of crazy things today. Talk more.¡± Usually, Owin didn¡¯t talk much, but today his master ¡®died¡¯ and was a little crooked after hearing simple words. ¡°Of course you are attractive.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°No, actually, speaking as a man, you¡¯re so attractive that it¡¯s ¡®mask-like¡¯.¡± It was natural for women to be attracted. It was a very instinctive attraction. Like animals that responded to pheromones. Owin was still thinking in ¡®Annette Mode¡¯ (or ¡®Marriageable Age Lady Mode¡¯). ¡°You have a very handsome face¡­¡± The sharp eyes under strong eyebrows, the straight masculine nose bridge and well-defined jaw were flawless handsomeness itself. It felt a little overbearing, though. ¡°You¡¯re 190cm tall, and you have a good body¡­ You are one of the most powerful people in the Empire.¡± Owin felt his heart pounding as he explained. It seemed like he was very much possessed by the spirit of the ladies. ¡°Is that all? You have great wealth, and aren¡¯t you even the crown prince? You are going to be the emperor! You¡¯re a really cheat character.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The position that Annette refused today seemed to be taken by Owin. ¡°However!¡± There was always a twist. Owin said while raising his index finger. ¡°Actually, Grand Duke Hyacinth has a tendency to arouse women¡¯s maternal love.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Besides, what about Marquis Winston? His soft charm is like castella. For a woman, they can easily fall in love with him.¡± Owin smiled softly, as if contemplating which flavor to try (he only smiled a few times a year) and tapped his chin. ¡°But, you¡­ A relatively dangerous man is a little difficult to approach.¡± ¡°Is it.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have to kill them all if I have to.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?!¡± Owin, who was the number one person who never heard the word ¡®kill¡¯ as a joke, was shocked. Somehow, the conversation became cold. Well, now it wasn¡¯t about whether the other aide¡¯s master died or not. His master was the biggest problem. Owin came back to his usual self and spoke with a stiff face. ¡°¡­First of all, the most important thing is the health of Your Highness the Crown Prince.¡± The loyal aide was genuinely worried about his master. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± ¡®Are you going to run madly forward like a racehorse with your eyes covered?¡¯ ¡°If you go crazy and lose your life like this¡­ as an aide¡­¡± Kuu¡ª Owin clenched his fist. ¡°¡­I never want to see that happen to you.¡± ¡®Have you never lived a peaceful life all this time, Your Highness?¡¯ Sislin got up and slowly put on his clothes. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me, Owin?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°With Annette, my powers will gradually come to an absolute.¡± The doctor had said: If he was not swayed by the power of Mephisto, the so-called ¡®raging devil¡¯, but instead ¡®complete¡¯ a powerful force. He would reach a point where he could treat that demon like a servant. ¡°I intend to end this suffering by ¡®perfecting¡¯ my strength.¡± He had forgotten to sleep due to the pain of many days and nights, and now he smiled hazily with exhausted red eyes that were. It was the eyes of a maniac. ¡°The more I touch Annette, the stronger my abilities become.¡± Looking at the smiling face that was licking his lips, Owin thought that if Annette saw this face, she would surely run away again and turn down a proposal she had already rejected. ¡°¡­But, Your Highness, isn¡¯t it unknown whether ¡®collapse¡¯ or ¡®completion¡¯ comes first? Are you taking a gamble?¡± ¡°No.¡± His eyes blazed as red as the scorching summer sun. ¡°I¡¯m sure it will be ¡®finished¡¯.¡± Owin saw his master¡¯s confidence. The aide felt his heart pound for a moment. It¡¯s a great pleasure to serve a man like this. The loyal aide, in the end, bowed his head without further complaints. ¡°All right.¡± ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ Gerard was being put to shame. It had been several days since the day he was called to the Great Temple and subjected to hard interrogation. Originally, even if it¡¯s the Great Temple, a prince could not be taken carelessly, but thanks to Annette¡¯s large-scale incident, the temple was about to take the lead. ¡ªBecause they had a good excuse. ¡°Because of the nobility¡¯s public opinion, we have no choice but to conduct it like this, Prince.¡± It was Annette¡¯s calculation. After a few days of insanity, Gerard cursed Annette and Sislin all day in his private palace. ¡°Shit! Ven¨¦num, why is that monster still intact, why!¡± He unleashed his power. Surely, he put a curse on him. ¡°Thanks to the activation of my powers, even now, my vitality is worn out. But the curse didn¡¯t work on him!¡± Gerard widened his red eyes like a snake. In front of a cunning sorcerer in the form of a real ¡®black snake¡¯. ¡°Sislin, I will make that bastard go back to ¡®the most painful time¡¯.¡± If one curse had been afflicted that day, Sislin would be thrown into the Crevasse once more. ¡°He should have been stuck in the Crevasse by now, and he should have gone crazy!¡± The snake wiggled its red tongue and smirked. It slowly climbed up the statue¡¯s body, twisting its body and saying, [Gerard, curses don¡¯t work well on opponents with strong physical and mental strength.] Gerard¡¯s eyes widened at those words. ¡®Did this wretch trick me?¡¯ [But rest assured, my foolish contractor. Sislin is getting weaker day by day, and soon, he won¡¯t be able to withstand the curse.] There were sniggers and laughter. At that moment, a thick cloud swerved and revealed the crescent moon. The bright moonlight from the thin moon poured down like a divine revelation into the palace. [It¡¯ll be tonight at the latest.] ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Gerard¡¯s face became aglow with delight. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°For the time being, please do not share the news of the Crown Prince. Victoria.¡± ¡°¡­Oh dear.¡± Victoria just replied with that, and her eyes lit up as if she knew something. She smiled and said, ¡°Is the Crown Prince ¡®out¡¯?¡± ¡°¡­¡­?!¡± ¡®Hey, I¡¯m not running an audition program for my husband.¡¯ ¡®Please don¡¯t make such an interested face, butler.¡¯ ¡°Not that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I thought the atmosphere was pretty good.¡± Sislin and I? Nonsense. ¡®I¡¯m always nervous when I¡¯m with him, and I¡¯ve never been comfortable, but you think the atmosphere is good?¡¯ Victoria tapped and organized the sheets in my bedroom, and then lifted the blanket, muttering to herself, ¡°Are you not here today?¡± and placed it back again. ¡®Who are you looking for there?¡¯ Could it be a person with silver hair and is a bit of a jerk? ¡°When I see you two, I think about the love that risked one¡¯s life.¡± Without realizing it, I touched my wrist. Do other people feel it too? From the beginning, Sislin had risked his life for me. Without a single bit of hesitation. ¡°Besides, when I look into the eyes of the Crown Prince, I can feel the deepest sincerity.¡± ¡­Sislin? ¡®It¡¯s completely different from what I¡¯m feeling?¡¯ ¡°When the Duchess looks somewhere, other people look at the same place as the Duchess.¡± Victoria whispered in my ear, as if she was telling me a big secret. ¡°But the Crown Prince always looked only at the Duchess. No matter where the Duchess looks.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± I see¡­ Sislin¡­ He did so without me knowing. I suddenly wondered. What other moments I didn¡¯t know existed with Sislin. With my eyes lowered, I said, ¡°But like I told you. The future with the Crown Prince¡­ I¡¯m afraid.¡± ¡°Love is inherently fearful.¡± The more intense the emotion, the harder it was to predict. People become weak in front of love for fear of being hurt by that uncertainty. One step at a time, I was backing away without realizing it. I was afraid of getting hurt. Perfect love was inevitably linked to fear. It was like that for everyone. Victoria smiled secretly. ¡°That¡¯s why, people who love are always willing to embrace the other person and say this, ¡®Nevertheless.''¡± At the same time. A huge event happened in the Imperial Palace. The prince who was in his bedroom, his huge body tilted and he collapsed. ¡°¡­Your Highness the Crown Prince!¡± CH 127 Victoria finished speaking and left my bedroom, but my heart was pounding and I stared at the door for a long time. ¡®Sislin¡­¡¯ What did Victoria see in him? ¡°When I look into the eyes of the Crown Prince, I can feel the deepest sincerity.¡± I decided to think about it. I erased everything around me, including the situation I was in, and thought only about my relationship with Sislin. ¡®I¡¯m missing something¡­?¡¯ What¡¯s this dreadful feeling of missing something? It was when I was sitting in my bedroom and gently stroking my wrists. ¡°Uhh?¡± The pattern on my wrist began to move. Shiiwk, the lines connecting the coveted flowers trembled once, and then very slowly¡­ ¡­yet quickly, it was ¡®withering away¡¯. Dun, my heart dropped to the floor. ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± Instinctively, I knew. That something was wrong with Sislin. And it¡¯s also very fatal and a big problem. ¡°Sisl.¡± I mumbled his name and jumped up from my seat. And, not knowing in what spirit, I headed to the Imperial Palace. Not caring if I was properly dressed or if I was wearing the right shoes. As fast as possible without time to take care of myself. ¡®Sisl, wait a minute.¡¯ What¡¯s going on? ¡®Didn¡¯t Sisl say his heart is connected here¡­¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s withering!¡¯ Having arrived at the Imperial Palace half-mad in a state of insanity, the palace felt just as calm as always. A different atmosphere than usual. However, the leaves on my wrist were drying out black. If the crown prince had a problem, it could become a political issue, so it was natural for him to be quiet for now. There were very few people in this vast Imperial Palace to take care of his troubles. ¡®I have to go.¡¯ I personally, not a servant, ordered the gatekeeper. ¡°Tell the Crown Prince¡¯s aide. The Duchess of Valienne is here!¡± Soon the black door blocking the way opened wide. My heart pounded nervously. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°¡­Sislin.¡± He was in the corner of the dimly lit room. It looked like he was about to collapse at any moment, with his back painfully curled up while lying on the floor. My heart was racing. ¡°Duchess Valienne!¡± At that moment, Owin quickly approached. He was sweating, and he looked very surprised. ¡ªJust like me. All the servants looked frightened. It was only then that the picture was drawn. ¡®It¡¯s hard for everyone to approach.¡¯ ¡°The Crown Prince suddenly¡­ His condition has deteriorated.¡± ¡°I will go.¡± ¡°Be careful. It can be dangerous.¡± Was it so bad that he couldn¡¯t even lie fully in bed? I approached carefully, but hastily, until his figure was fully revealed. It was worse than I expected. Sweat glistened on his temple, and blood flowed from one of his cheeks and down his neck, possibly from hitting his head, so it was indistinguishable from sweat. The breath felt from the crouching back was as rough as a beast pierced by a spear. He was barely breathing. ¡°Sisl. It¡¯s me.¡± I slowly knelt in front of him. A helpless hand caressed his back. ¡°¡­Are you okay?¡± Sislin didn¡¯t answer. Like he was out of his mind. Originally a glass bottle, a broken piece was held in his hands, which were bloody. The surroundings were full of broken objects. It looked like he had struggled quite a bit. He would rather hold a sharp piece of glass to forget the pain. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Fortunately, he didn¡¯t flinch when I touched his hand. ¡°Look up.¡± I slowly wrapped my hands around his cheeks. ¡®What should I do?¡¯ Watching his life force wither on my wrist in real time, watching him suffer right before my eyes¡­ ¡­And not a single thing could help. ¡°I¡¯ll move it for you, Sisl.¡± But, I tried to smile as much as possible and said, ¡°Trust me.¡± As was the case with the boy who was barely living in the ¡®den¡¯ of the kitchen cabinet when he was young. Just then, he made a small, hoarse voice. It was close to the sound of iron scraping, and it was so soft that I couldn¡¯t hear what he was saying. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡ªWhat? I brought my ears closer. It was only then that I could understand Sislin¡¯s words. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°The crown prince¡¯s servants are unusual. They all rushed to his bedroom.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°¡­There seems to be something going on there, Prince.¡± At the report of his aide, Gerard jumped up from his seat. Shhh¡ª The black snake, which was curled up on one side, said with a smirk. [It has finally begun, human contractor.] ¡°The best night ever.¡± Gerard¡¯s face lit up with joy. He laughed out loud. He hated him all his life, his whole life! His cheeky brother with no blood relations. Finally, tonight, he would fall under the spell of a curse. ¡°I want to take the body of Derkis out from the coffin and dance a waltz with him!¡± Gerard poured a glass full of strong liquor for a toast, and drank it willingly. He wanted to cherish this moment forever. This moment he himself finally defeated Sislin and remained the ultimate victor. [Are you very happy?] ¡°Of course.¡± He had a dream he wanted to achieve, to the extent of signing a contract with a disgusting person like you and even acquiring this life-eating disease. To be born in the lowest place in the world and die as a noble person. ¡®No, before I die, this El Dorado will be my own.¡¯ ¡®There will be nothing I can¡¯t get in the future!¡¯ After tonight! Gerard immediately ordered his aide. ¡°Write down the Duchess of Valienne¡¯s summons in advance. In front of the Crown Prince!¡± The moonlight shone on his eerily excited face. ¡°Because the first thing I will do after I become Crown Prince is to have that girl!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The lieutenant bowed his head and immediately went outside. Gerrard smiled subtly and put a cigarette in his mouth and lit it. The excitement did not subside easily. ¡°Sislin¡­¡± Through the hazy smoke, he raised his hand, which blood vessels were dying in dark red. ¡°You must have lived practically your whole life in pain in the Crevasse, it¡¯s really sad.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry for you, but why am I laughing?¡± ¡°Of all the pain of his life, to be trapped and die in the moment of the most excruciating pain.¡± His body being torn to shreds, burned countless times, eaten alive by monsters¡­ until his intestines fall out. He would go through that damn long, unpredictable pain again. A terrifyingly delightful laugh rang out. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ Cheanggang. A piece of glass fell from Sislin¡¯s hand to the floor. The large hand that could swing a sword without hesitation was in a mess and was trembling slightly in the air. It held my hand as if it was a lifeline. ¡°¡­Don¡¯t go.¡± ¡®Sisl¡­¡¯ I couldn¡¯t say a word for a moment. I just listened to his voice. Then he lifted his head from the floor, eagerly holding my hand, as if hanging onto it. Like a person who has been abandoned by the world, like a person whose only hope was extinguished. He looked at me and whispered. ¡°¡­Please don¡¯t go, Annette.¡± Hot tears dripped down his sweat and blood-stained cheeks. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I stared at him. I knew this look. This was the expression I saw then. The day I left the Forest, the expression I saw on the face of a boy who was chasing after a running carriage to death. The very expression I saw on the face of the boy who followed me with his scarred knees, even after he fell in the midst of a menacing bombardment. I didn¡¯t know why, but one thing was certain. Sislin went back to the moment he parted from me. ¡°¡­Please go back!!!¡± ¡°If I go back, will Annette come back?¡± It was that crumbling look on his face, when I was unable to answer that question. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The boy¡¯s eyes trembled. His dry, parched lips gleamed with blood, and he licked them slowly. ¡ªWords that came out as harsh breaths. ¡°Don¡¯t go.¡± Tears flowed from his hot eyes. He grabbed my sleeve and begged like a sigh. ¡°¡­Please.¡± It was only then that I realized what I was missing between Sislin and I. It¡¯s¡­ His time without me. It was the emotions that he had nurtured by himself while swallowing the pain. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± All of a sudden, my eyes clouded over. CH 128 That was then. Sislin¡¯s eyes that shook like a boy¡¯s became clear. In an instant, he seemed to have come back to his senses. ¡°Go.¡± ¡®¡­What?¡¯ Didn¡¯t you just tell me not to go? With teary eyes (I almost had a runny nose), I had a big question mark above my head. ¡®Don¡¯t go¡­ Go?¡¯ It was a mission as impossible as combining croissant and sausage bread into a finished product. Apparently confused about something, Sislin muttered, covering his face with a large hand. ¡°Damn it, looking like this¡­ Don¡¯t look, go.¡± He turned away from my gaze. ¡°Annette. Right now.¡± Still, he couldn¡¯t let go of my sleeve with his hand. I realized in a second. ¡®Oh, I guess he went crazy for a moment.¡¯ I guess he felt ashamed of himself, that suddenly, due to some kind of illness (I could only explain like this), he was in a state of ¡®falling out¡¯ of consciousness like on the day I left. He covered his face with a big hand, reddened to the back of his neck, perhaps recognizing that he had clung to me while crying. He seemed to realize what he had done. ¡°Shit. I¡¯m going crazy because it¡¯s hot.¡± At that time, he ripped the shirt he was wearing, and took it off as it is. ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± ¡®Don¡¯t suddenly show off your muscular body.¡¯ ¡®Don¡¯t get sick like crazy too, Sisl.¡¯ The maids, who had been worried, were surprised and turned around. When I saw the wide chest and muscular forearms in front of my eyes, I did not react like them. Instead, my face turned red. It looked like some kind of ferocious beast was writhing. On that subject, his expression quickly changed and he grabbed my ankle. Like a person who would die when I go. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡®It¡¯s very hot.¡¯ I seemed to understand why he had taken off his clothes. It was because it was hot. I took a very slow, deep breath and informed the surroundings. ¡°Owin, please let everyone out. I¡¯ll try something.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, Duchess.¡± Owin let the servants out, closed the door and left as well. The aide probably judged that it would be detrimental to show the crown prince in this state to the subordinates for a long time. Like I had. ¡°¡­Look up. Sisl.¡± I cupped his cheeks and whispered. Sislin took a deep breath and raised his head. From his red eyes, tears ran down his cheeks without resistance. At this moment, he seemed to be immersed in the consciousness of the past again. I knew it just by looking at his face. ¡°Look at me. Can you?¡± I spoke sweetly. Then, he buried his trembling head deeply in my shoulder. An irregular breathing sound came from his shoulder, and the man, who seemed to never know tears or rest for his whole life, leaned on me like a wounded animal without resistance. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± I stroked his damp hair slowly. Kindly, as if trying to calm him down as much as possible. However, I did not know how to fix this ¡®maniac¡¯. ¡®No way¡­¡¯ I pondered over what Sislin had said, and made a difficult decision. I raised my head, made eye contact, and spoke as forcefully as possible. ¡°I will kiss you.¡± He said that the deeper the touch, the less pain, maybe¡­ ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The sharp eyes were looking at me with an unknown expression. ¡°You never know. It might be okay.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­I will do it!¡± Because it didn¡¯t seem like he could calm down just with hugs. So, this. ¡®It¡¯s like artificial respiration.¡¯ ¡®If you don¡¯t like it, tell me, Sisl.¡¯ I closed my eyes (while Sislin didn¡¯t) and slowly drew closer, clasping his cheeks. Sislin¡¯s eyelids slowly lowered as he looked down nervously at the approaching innocent face. Yet¡ª Soft lips touched. My heart was a little numb, then I felt a tickling sensation. And my heartbeat began to pound. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Sislin¡¯s eyes gradually closed. The corners of his lips rose slightly as the lips touched. Having done just that, Annette brought her lips away, as if she had done a great job. Then she asked, shifting her light green eyes. ¡°Now¡­ Are you okay?¡± Sislin slowly lowered his eyes and stared at her. ¡®I¡¯m glad I came to my senses, even for a moment.¡¯ ¡®I almost missed the chance.¡¯ ¡°Not enough.¡± His large hands stroked her cheeks, and his hot thumbs gently caressed her recalled earlobes. Then he pulled her in at once and whispered, in front of her lips. ¡°¡ªFor a while more.¡± He smirked, then his lips swallowed her in one breath, savoring her tenderness. For a moment, thanks to being surprised, Annette¡¯s breath was disturbed. Taking in her every breath, Sislin lifted her lightly and sat her on top of him; as if she was light without any weight. Badump, badump. His heart was beating uncontrollably. An unfamiliar euphoria scratched his entire body. At the skillful and uninterrupted kiss, the helpless Annette lost strength, unable to draw back her head. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± It felt like a strong current was hitting her and her whole body was being swept away. Annette¡¯s face turned red. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡®Why is there no news?¡¯ It was time for the Imperial Palace to be turned upside down and for a riot to happen. Gerard looked nervously out of the window, occasionally glancing at the empty bottles of ¡®toasts¡¯. The black snake gracefully slithered through the drawing room in an S-shape and climbed up to a shaped pillar. The statue¡¯s eyes were covered with darkness. ¡°¡­It¡¯s strange.¡± The feeling of exhilaration had long since subsided. It was a breathtakingly deep night. Gerard lit another cigarette, drank a few more strong drinks, and finally called a servant. ¡°Check the dynamics of the Imperial Palace!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± It was unnerving. If the crown prince was really going through the pain of the Crevasse again, it would have been normal for the whole of El Dorado to be overturned and noisy by now. That ¡®Monster of the Crevasse¡¯ might go crazy, completely losing his senses and slaughter everyone in the Imperial Palace. But it wouldn¡¯t last long. Because he couldn¡¯t bear the pain, and soon his body would die. Gerard dreamed of such a beautiful night¡­ The words of the servant who returned were very shocking. ¡°The Imperial Palace is quiet. As usual.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± Gerard, whose patience had been shattered, jumped to his feet. Blinking rapidly, he exclaimed loudly. ¡°Ven¨¦num! Didn¡¯t you say that it has definitely started?¡± [It¡¯s been a long time since it started. Even he is already under the curse. Besides, I can feel his pain¡­ Ah, this.] At that instant, as if noticing something, the black snake slowly rose from the goddess statue¡¯s eyes to the top of her head, smiling. The eerie, sultry laugh echoed through the room. [The curse has just been lifted? Poor human contractor, it¡¯s a pity.] ¡°¡­¡­?!¡± [Another sorcerer¡¯s power intervened in the curse. Your curse has been neutralized by the power of that magic ¡®perfecting¡¯ the ability of Sislin.] ¡°What¡­?¡± [I¡¯m sorry. Isn¡¯t it like you¡¯re the only one dying? Keke~!] The Cursed Ven¨¦num, a hedonist who enjoyed even the pain of those who contracted with him, laughed happily. Then, Gerard¡¯s screams rang out low. The cost of a failed curse was terrible. The back of his hand, where bulging veins were moving painfully, was charred. As a reaction to a failed high-level spell. Gerard covered his left eye with his black hand and looked in the mirror as he leaned down and trembled. He could see the hideous pattern on one side of his face. His eyelashes burned, and his eerie eyes were distorted as if it was absurd. ¡°¡­Ah!¡± Soon, anger began to erupt from the palace. ¡°Aaaaahhhhhhh!¡± In the end, the man who had lost everything in front of him again screamed desperately. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡®I have to stop.¡¯ It¡¯s gone beyond artificial respiration. Unlike the unstoppable kiss, the hands stroking my cheeks, neck, and back were very sweet. The embrace was warm enough to want to continue to be hugged, and the kiss was full of love. It seemed that Sislin had read everything. The tempo of the kiss slowed down when I was out of breath, and if there was a little gap¡ª He would dig into the gap and my fingertips would curl up and burn so hot that I felt numb. If it¡¯s like this. ¡®I wish I could stay like this all night¡­¡¯ A thought unknowingly struck me and shocked me to my senses. A bright red light lit up in my mind. The timing was also exquisite, as our lips fell apart at the same time, leaving a tingling sensation. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I barely opened my eyes and exhaled with a red face. Looking at the face lovingly, Sislin smiled sneakily, revealing his teeth. He stroked her long blonde hair with his large hand and brought it to her back. It was then that he realized that the pain that had been tormenting him so badly had ceased. Annette¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°¡­Uh?¡± As if she had made a marvelous discovery, she pointed at him with a weak hand, and words flowed out from her plump berry-red lips that were sweetened by the long kiss. ¡°Sisl, look at that hand.¡± She glanced down at her hand, then at Sislin¡¯s dark eyebrows. ¡°¡­¡­?¡± It was, like, the first time they¡¯ve ever seen such a thing. Ame: WE GOT A KISS!!! *pops champagne* Tassie: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH *breathes* AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH FINALLYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY CH 129 It was my first time feeling it. The light green force, fresh like the color of spring, glistened like powder scattered by a fairy and covered Sislin¡¯s wounds. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Sislin¡¯s hands, which had been sliced up from holding the shards of glass, were unblemished. ¡ªIt had been a long time. Since his body felt so light. I stared blankly, seeing the power of my ¡®buff¡¯ at work for the first time. It was simply amazing. It was the same for Sislin, who quickly became fine. ¡°Ack!¡± At that moment, Sislin put his hands on the insides of my arms and lifted them up. With a heart pounding expression, I was made to wrap my arms around him. ¡°¡­Sisl, are you okay?¡± Until just now, he was a man who was crying and staying on his knees, but he looked fine except for the bloodstains. It was the usual robust Sislin. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Sislin could not hide his doubts and tried to summon the power of Mephisto with his hand. Kikkk¡ª Jijik¡ª Something like a black electric current sparked and then disappeared. It was fleeting, but he felt a powerful force. Very different from before. Then he answered in a low voice. ¡°I think everything is better.¡± ¡°Really?!¡± A bright smile appeared on the girl¡¯s face. Did it work? The innocent girl really seemed to be happy that she kissed him and made him better. In a way, it was right. It was the moment when the power was gradually strengthened, breaking through the limit and completing his power. He would not have been able to do it without her abilities. Of course, he felt extreme pain in the process, but it was sort of more like a pleasure, focusing only on the exhilarating sensation she gave him as she kissed him. Sislin looked at Annette, who appeared innocent without knowing anything, then called Owin after a while to rectify the situation. Owin looked quite overwhelmed at the sight of his master, who had become fine (he was biting his lips and holding back his tears), but he didn¡¯t show much. However, he bowed his head in front of Annette and expressed his sincere thanks. Soon after, Owin went out to crack down on the ¡®eyes and mouths¡¯ of the Imperial Palace. It didn¡¯t take long for him to clean up the messy room, wipe the bloodstains off, and put on a new shirt. ¡°Annette, I¡¯ll bring you back to your residence.¡± ¡°¡­Uh? No. It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡®No, you¡¯re not going to be okay so soon, are you?¡¯ Like a lie¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll take you.¡± In the end, at Sislin¡¯s request, we rode together in a carriage. Daegeukuek, daegeukuek. I sat idly as the carriage passed through the night streets. ¡®¡­Did I, by any chance, dream it all?¡¯ Glancing towards the side, sitting there was, as usual, a handsome face with no bruises at all. In addition, it was not easy to bring up what had transpired earlier. ¡°Sisl.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He replied with a low ringing of his rib cage. His sharp, dark eyes glanced at me. ¡°Just now¡­¡± ¡°Just now?¡± There were many things I wanted to ask. ¡®Is it true that you went back to ¡®that day¡¯? That¡¯s why you grabbed me like that?¡¯ However, I remembered that he was ashamed to show such an appearance, and the question did not come out easily. Furthermore¡ª At that moment, I remembered the voice he whispered with a soft smile on my lips. ¡°Not enough.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡ªFor a while more.¡± Uh-huh, I coughed lightly and looked forward. Ultimately, I laughed awkwardly. ¡°No. Nothing.¡± Sislin looked forward again with a calm face as per normal. ¡®I should have cleared up that the kiss we had earlier was nothing.¡¯ ¡®¡­Or it would be awkward. But is it right that it¡¯s nothing?¡¯ Without realizing it, I closed my eyes tightly as I remembered myself hugging that sturdy neck and Sislin, whose dark hair scattered as he exhaled a hot breath. My heart was beating a little. ¡®It¡¯s a big deal.¡¯ How much more will Sislin use that as an excuse? But there was no such thing. Sislin quietly took me to the ducal residence and said from inside the carriage. ¡°Good night, Annette.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I was absentminded, then belatedly nodded my head. The carriage just left. ¡®¡­¡­?¡¯ For a while, I stared blankly at the leaving carriage. And with a strange feeling, I entered the mansion. Victoria told me she was very worried because I went out all of a sudden, but she was glad things worked out in the end. I answered in moderation and went to my bedroom. It was very late at dawn. I lay on a bed that was neat and clean, covered with a soft goose down duvet, and stared blankly at the ceiling. ¡°¡­What?¡± Then, when I finally realized the identity of this feeling, I suddenly muttered. ¡°Why am I sad?¡± ¡ªIt was a mystery. It wasn¡¯t during breakfast or lunch that Sislin contacted me again. The next day, in the late evening¡­ ¡¸I have sent a carriage, so please come to the Imperial Palace.¡¹ ¡®Oh my god, why am I feeling sad over the note?¡¯ ¡®Should I not go?¡¯ I squinted. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ The Magic Tower District, where the Magic Tower was located. The people looked excited ahead of the national foundation festival. The scenery of the colorfully decorated streets was beautiful, and the streets were full of laughter. Heinrich was walking there. As if he had lost his mind. The light had disappeared from the beautiful human. ¡°Resign from the candidacy of the next tower lord. A lowly person like you doesn¡¯t deserve it.¡± What did he want to come here? ¡­For his father¡¯s belated interest? How funny. He told his biological father that he would never see him again, pretending to be dignified, but he was just wandering around like a scumbag whose mind was broken. He didn¡¯t know how many days had passed, and it had been a while since he last drank water. But the body had long since forgotten hunger. Like a mentally drained man, Heinrich erased his thoughts from his head and just walked. His feet were very heavy, but he didn¡¯t know how to stop. Disheveled silver hair was hanging over his cool face. Whoi¡ª Heinrich licked his chapped lips. ¡°Not the first time.¡± Yes, this wasn¡¯t even the first time. That his mind was broken. The first time was when he was shunned by his father and witnessed the dead body of his mother. There was someone who made the boy who was in that state live. ¡°Sister¡­¡± ¡®My Annette.¡¯ ¡®My broken spirit and heart, you put it back together again.¡¯ It was in the Forest. It was when he was crying at the lakeside in winter because he missed his mother one day. A blonde-haired girl, who had been talking to him a lot these days, sat down next to him. Her name was Annette. A 12-year-old who was one year older than him. However, Heinrich had never once called her ¡®sister¡¯. ¡°Ah, are you crying, Heinrich?¡± ¡°Who is crying! It¡¯s you again¡­ Go away.¡± No matter how hard he tried to blame his mother for leaving and turning away from him, the truth was, there were more days he wanted to see her. Whenever he missed her like that, he felt the worst, so he purposely went to a cold place and sat there all day. ¡®I must freeze my heart.¡¯ ¡®If I freeze my heart to be as cold as that lake, this sadness will be dulled and I will be less sad.¡¯ He used to think like that when he was a kid. ¡°But, the weather is so cold that I can¡¯t leave you alone?¡± ¡°¡­What does it matter?¡± ¡°I brought you some hot soup.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to eat.¡± Nom nom, slurp slurp. The unfamiliar blonde girl began to eat the soup alone next to him. ¡°Warm and so delicious!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Ung, it¡¯s great.¡± ¡­She¡¯s a really weird kid. ¡®I feel bad because she keeps worrying about me.¡¯ Besides, the smell of the soup was so savory that it annoyed him. ¡°Would you like a bite?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Heinrich, who was already drooling, eventually surrendered and had no choice but to nod his head. ¡°Just one bite. Because you ask.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The corn soup was sweet, savory, and very warm. It was a taste that made hot blood circulate to the tips of his fingers, not allowing anything to freeze the heart or chest. Why was it so delicious? The soup the girl gave him. No matter how much soup he ate after that day, it didn¡¯t taste as good as it did back then. ¡°¡­Heinrich, are you done eating?¡± ¡°Noisy.¡± Heinrich raised the soup cup with the bottom exposed, and spoke with a flushed face. ¡°¡­I mean, the original amount was little.¡± ¡°Pssh, huh!¡± Annette smiled brightly, and Heinrich thought that the innocent-looking girl was a little pretty. Then, the girl said, ¡°Heinrich, you don¡¯t have to miss your mom.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I will always be there for you until you are happy.¡± ¡®I will give you that much affection¡¯, the little girl said just like an adult. Heinrich¡¯s heart was pounding. The girl took Heinrich¡¯s hand, her green eyes bright. She was very warm. His heart, which had been frozen on the painstakingly cold hill, and wished to harden, melted easily in her body temperature. Heinrich asked, carefully raising his silver eyelashes. ¡°¡­Why?¡± The girl smiled beautifully when he asked, and for some reason, that tickled his heart as if there was a foxtail. ¡°Because you¡¯re the best to me!¡± Annette was the only one who could smile like that to him. It was still the same today. To him, there was only Annette. What reconnected his broken heart and made him alive. ¡°¡­Sister.¡± Heinrich muttered a little, calling her. ¡®Suddenly, I miss you¡­ I really feel like I¡¯m going to die.¡¯ Heinrich, who had lost the light, came back to life. He licked his lips. ¡°Annette.¡± The steps that had been slow with no power got faster and faster. All of a sudden, Heinrich was running. What would happen after a while was¡ª Something he couldn¡¯t dare imagine. Ame: I think I have no more tears left to cry. I¡¯M BOTH READY AND NOT READY!! Tassie: I DON¡¯T WANT TO READ THIS ANYMORE BUT AT THE SAME TIME I CAN¡¯T STOP! We really should rename this as ¡°The Obsessive Male Leads Want To Eat Me Alive Because I Took Care Of Them As Children And Now They All Love Me Suddenly Because I Kept On Making Promises That I Didn¡¯t Keep And Didn¡¯t Have Any Intention To Keep¡±. Yeah I¡¯m kinda salty :kek: CH 130 ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°Duchess of Valienne, the carriage sent by His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived!¡± At Victoria¡¯s words (she looked happy for some reason), I looked out the window. A huge golden carriage engraved with the Axelferion imperial emblem had arrived in front of the ducal residence. As the black horse, with gleaming luster flowing all over its body, swung wildly, I could see the coachman resolutely calming the horses. ¡°¡­Should I go or not?¡± Victoria raised her eyebrows slightly at my murmur. ¡°Is there any particular reason not to go?¡± ¡®There¡¯s no reason not to go.¡¯ ¡®But strangely, I¡¯ve been upset since last night.¡¯ Like a haze, it felt like a strange sadness was creeping up from my chest. ¡®But I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m sad.¡¯ ¡®Is it even being ¡®upset¡¯?¡¯ ¡®Don¡¯t tell me¡­ it¡¯s because he didn¡¯t thank me yesterday?!¡¯ Didn¡¯t I save his life? Heck, that¡¯s a very childish reason. Childish Annette, I should try not to show it. ¡°Tell them I¡¯m turning down the invitation.¡± ¡­Yes. I was a childish and condescending person. As I lowered my eyes and spoke, Victoria replied, stroking her chin. ¡°But, he did almost die yesterday¡­ I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a law that says he¡¯ll be safe today?¡± ¡°He will be fine.¡± He looked very strong. In response to my calm response, Victoria grinned, holding up her index finger and said a horrible thing. ¡°My maternal uncle collapsed and recovered well the next day, but he died suddenly the day after.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± ¡®No, please don¡¯t say scary words with such a bright face, Victoria.¡¯ I thought for a few seconds, and then I got up. ¡°¡­Tell them I¡¯m coming.¡± Eventually, when I arrived at the Imperial Palace in a carriage, the attendants took me to the greenhouse as if they had been waiting. It was a pretty greenhouse full of colorful flowers grown by magic, and little birds chirping. My heart was refreshed as if I had been invited to a spring festival. ¡®I like the air.¡¯ There was an occasional delicious smell amidst the scent of the fresh greens. It looked like I was invited to dinner. ¡°Welcome.¡± At that moment, a familiar yet low, deep voice slipped into my ears. ¡°Annette.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Turning around, I saw him, standing under the gleaming magic stone lights. Red eyes under jet black dark hair. He leisurely stuck a hand in his pocket, and he looked much nicer in today¡¯s suit. A jacket that fell snugly over his broad shoulders made my chest pound. ¡®Why is Sislin so good looking today?¡¯ I forgot to speak for a moment, then opened my mouth belatedly. ¡°Thank you for inviting me, Your Highness.¡± He narrowed his eyes and gestured. ¡°Sit down.¡± There was a small dining table in the greenhouse. The table wasn¡¯t so small that one had to eat up close, but the menu composition was unique. Everything¡­ ¡®It¡¯s what I like.¡¯ ¡®Is this how you say thank you?¡¯ I felt a little relieved, so I sat down and savored the delicious food little by little. ¡°Your Highness, did you call me for dinner today?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He nodded and answered briefly. I ate some of the starter bread and asked. ¡°Are you all right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m perfectly fine. Rather, I¡¯m full of energy. As much as to be able to use it anywhere.¡± Red eyes narrowed playfully towards me. ¡®¡­What are you going to use it for?¡¯ ¡®Why are you looking at me like that, Your Highness.¡¯ ¡®Why are your eyes like that, Sisl?¡¯ It¡¯s a misunderstanding, I must be wrong. It was clear that a strange demon was disturbing my mind because I kissed him for no reason yesterday. As I stared at him skillfully handling the knife, the 12-year-old ¡®sister¡¯ asked the 11-year-old naughty kid in an admonishing tone. ¡°You¡¯re thankful, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I saved you from dying¡ª¡± ¡°Of course, thank you. You saved my life.¡± At that moment, Sislin interrupted me and said thank you right away (although it was a bit vague). A chunk of meat dripping in blood was pushed into his clean lips. He chewed casually and stared at me. Then he just said, ¡°I¡¯ll pay you back.¡± Like it¡¯s some kind of debt relationship. ¡°¡­Okay.¡± I, too, gave a short answer and diligently worked the tableware. And I realized. ¡®It wasn¡¯t that I was upset because he didn¡¯t say thank you.¡¯ Strange. Then why do I feel like this? ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ After dinner, we went for a walk (Sislin¡¯s recommendation). Having dismissed all the servants, we enjoyed the refreshing night air alone in the garden of the Imperial Palace. We walked side by side. As slow as I was, I knew he would match my strides. ¡°Hey, Sisl¡­¡± ¡°Hm?¡± He raised his thick eyebrows and glanced down at me. As we walked side by side, I realized how much he had grown. ¡°Do you remember what happened yesterday?¡± There were only the two of us, so I quietly asked. It would be good to talk honestly. By the way¡­ ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Sislin¡¯s reaction was ambiguous. He tilted his head briefly, as if he didn¡¯t know, and shifted it back. ¡®¡­Uh, is that the end of your answer?¡¯ What a fright it was yesterday! I thought he was going to die, so I did anything to save him. Really, I did. ¡­It was my first kiss. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Oh, at that moment I realized. I think I finally found the reason why I was disappointed. Sislin didn¡¯t seem to care much about yesterday, unlike me. ¡®I guess he doesn¡¯t even remember.¡¯ Well, he was really in pain. It could be difficult to remember everything when in an insane state. ¡®¡­I can¡¯t blame him.¡¯ I took a deep breath, carefully unwrapped something and placed it on the palm of my hand. Then I raised my eyes a little and asked. ¡°Would you like some candy?¡± In the palm of my hand was a sweet pink candy. ¡ªIt really didn¡¯t fit. This big man and candy. In fact, even when he was young, Sislin didn¡¯t like ¡®sweet things¡¯ very much. Even more so when he became an adult. I recommended it knowingly. I kind of wanted to play a very small (pretty trivial) trick. ¡°Give it to me.¡± Sislin grabbed my wrist, lowered his head for a while, and took the candy from the palm of my hand, swiping it with his lips. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡®¡­He¡¯s really going to eat it.¡¯ ¡®It wouldn¡¯t taste good.¡¯ ¡®Although it¡¯s generally delicious.¡¯ I looked up at him with curious eyes. How was he eating candy with such a mild face? Would he look the same if he was biting gravel? There was not even 1mg of liking toward sweetness on the face. I asked carefully. ¡°Sisl. Don¡¯t you hate candy?¡± ¡°Uh. No.¡± ¡°¡­Then why did you take it?¡± He looked down at me with his hands behind his back. His eyes were somewhat naughty yet friendly. ¡°What the duchess wants to feed me, I¡¯ll try it.¡± ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t it delicious?¡± ¡°Very.¡± He furrowed his eyebrows while I laughed playfully. ¡®I¡¯m sorry.¡¯ I was just being grumpy ¡®It¡¯s not that I can¡¯t remember on purpose, it¡¯s because it hurts.¡¯ In fact, I knew better than anyone that it was the first kiss. No matter how many excuses were given, such as emergency treatment, it simply wasn¡¯t like that. The moment my heart felt like it was going to explode, the breath we shared and the sharp sensations¡­ all were still engraved in me. I moved forward at a relatively short pace next to the broad, slow-walking Sislin. I mumbled to myself. ¡°How could you not remember?¡± Crunch. He murmured softly as he chewed and swallowed the tasteless candy quickly. ¡°¡ªSo cute, I¡¯m going crazy.¡± It was when I thought I didn¡¯t hear correctly and looked up at him. A large hand wrapped around my cheek. Sislin, who had stopped walking, lowered his head and stared closely at me. ¡°Which one.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Was it when I got down on my knees and begged like a madman for you not to leave?¡± The red eyes clearly captured me. My cheeks flamed up as they met. ¡°If not¡­¡± His gaze glided towards my lips. The lips that had the taste of sweet candy bit the red lips. The jaw muscles moved slightly; the kiss was so soft that I couldn¡¯t do anything. Sislin, who disliked candy, melted the candy in my mouth, swallowing it instead of the candy. I did not know what to do, unknowingly slightly lifting my hand. My heart was pounding at the slight sound of his lips parting. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± His big hand slowly interlaced its fingers as it grabbed mine, which was wandering in the air. The bright, blazing red eyes seemed more earnest and sincere than ever. It was like a man whose heart had been charred by thirst and heat for a sole person. The little longing that I had felt all night was too moderate for him. He whispered through bated breath. ¡°I love you, Annette.¡± His lips touched again. A kiss that was sweet and soft enough to confuse the mind followed. Mixed with hot breaths, a low voice revealed a single true heart. ¡°I love you.¡± Ame: At one point, somewhere during the kiss scene, mtl gave me smelly/stinky lips LIKE WTH HAHAHAHA could¡¯ve made me snort my apple juice outta my nose Tassie: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH IT HAPPENEDDDDDDDD I LOVE YOU TOO SISLIN!!!!! Istg if she doesn¡¯t want him I¡¯ll take him!! CH 131 Astonished by the confession, my hand involuntarily tapped a leaf, and the fireflies that were eating the dew flew away. Pretty lights that illuminated the black night. Hot breaths. And, the words of confession that seem to dig out one¡¯s heart and bear it. ¡°Sislin.¡± I felt his heart clearly for the first time. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± It¡¯s weird. Upon hearing that confession, my fear disappeared. Because it was an ambiguous and unknown future, fear came alongside excitement and wonder. On a night when even the waaning moon held its breath, the moonlight shone softly on the two. And from a pillar under a silver aspen tree where fireflies flew leisurely, there was another person who saw this scene. His eyes contorted painfully. As if standing on the edge of the world¡¯s precipice, his precarious breath shattered white into the air. Heinrich slowly turned and walked out of the garden. He couldn¡¯t say anything. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°You have to stop it. You must stop it.¡± Number 19 cried out bitterly. For him, who came to El Dorado after a long time due to helping at the bakery, he received a late update of ¡®Master¡¯s Love Circumstances¡¯. After hearing all the situations (especially the serious current state in which Sislin often called Annette over saying he was sick), Number 19 suddenly felt things were dire. Kyle frowned and asked, looking quizzically at Number 19, who had eaten a lot of bread and gained 3kg. ¡°What do you want me to stop?¡± ¡°Where will you lie down if you¡¯re sick? Won¡¯t you lie down in bed? What would happen if the two of them met over and over again? The atmosphere will surely get weird.¡± ¡®That¡¯s not good?¡¯ Kyle¡¯s eyebrows rose at the odd expression. Number 19 said, clenching his fists. ¡°¡­His Highness the Crown Prince and Annette, they¡¯re going to grow even closer!!!¡± Chubby, listening seriously, nodded his head. ¡°Well, I also had a woman I loved.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± It was something that no one ever wondered about. However, he continued speaking, steadfast. ¡°I had my first kiss with her, when she took care of me while I was sick.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Everyone was surprised. They were not surprised that she kissed a sick man while caring for him. They were surprised to find that there was a kind-hearted woman who kissed his ugly face with a messy beard. ¡°Are you sure it wasn¡¯t a dream?¡± Number 19 rolled his eyes and commented. Anyway, the words of Chubby sounded unreliable, but if the person was the crown prince, it was a possible story. Since he was quite handsome. One of the surrounding vicious-looking men muttered with a serious nod. ¡°If that really happened¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s a big deal.¡± ¡°You have to stop it, yes, you have to stop it.¡± Another member of Larva, one who was particularly imaginative, exclaimed with a shocked face. ¡°How can those two kiss each other!¡± ¨DIt was already done in his imagination. At that moment, bang! There was the sound of something heavy hitting the table, crushing the overheated atmosphere. Kyle calmed everyone down with a simple order. ¡°Everyone, shut up.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Y-Yes.¡± He said, smoothing his chin. ¡°It¡¯s her choice to go care for the sick prince. Don¡¯t be childish.¡± ¡°¡­But they¡­¡± The guy that had imagined the kiss flinched, his stomach burning. Kyle looked at each of his men¡¯s faces, stating, ¡°Even if anything happens between the two of them, it¡¯s not my concern at all.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°The important thing is her ¡®heart¡¯.¡± Larva, who had been rolling around like uncooked fish cakes, had to keep their mouths shut and admit to the correct conclusion of this mature man. That¡¯s right. If everyone fell in love and got married because they were drunk on the atmosphere, they wouldn¡¯t be anyone single by now. ¡°Her heart has not been decided yet.¡± Kyle was looking right at Annette. He was the most attentive, closely observing her mind more than anyone else. As long as her heart was still with her, Kyle would just try. To allow her to choose for herself, to be silent and respectful, doing what he could do for her. This was Kyle¡¯s way. ¡®It would be better to finish the request first.¡¯ The next day. Kyle asked Annette to meet. Annette, as usual, looked a little tired, but gladly accepted the meeting. After everyone left the drawing room, Kyle finally parted his lips. ¡°Owner, we have found the informant.¡± Dalgak¡ª Annette set the teacup down on the saucer. Surprise was evident on her face. ¡°¡­Is that for real?¡± ¡°Yes. I recently found the informant and he confessed everything.¡± Who was it? The one who made Gerard move. That was all, but a lot of things happened thanks to the butterfly effect. The chasers came to the peaceful island of Bayonaire, and it was messed up. After returning to El Dorado, instead of spending time with her mother, she had to prepare her funeral. Annette wanted to find out the cause. She thought everything would become clear if the twisted thread was unwound from there. Kyle contemplated for a moment, looking into Annette¡¯s desperate eyes. ¡®I hope you don¡¯t get hurt too much.¡¯ ¡®You¡¯re strong.¡¯ ¡°The culprit is Grand Duke Heinrich. The ¡®informer¡¯ was his aide, Duncan, and he did it on the orders of his master.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± ¡ªHeinrich? Annette¡¯s eyes darkened. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°Are you unable to contact Grand Duke Hyacinth?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while since His Excellency came to us. Regrettably, we are also waiting for a call from His Excellency.¡± ¡°¡­If you get in touch, tell him that the Duchess of Valienne has been here.¡± ¡°Yes, Duchess.¡± ¡ªHeinrich disappeared. I tried contacting the mansion as well as the Magic Tower, but everyone just shook their heads. He wasn¡¯t even in the laboratory where he usually hid in for research. Literally ¡®evaporated¡¯. ¡®How could this be?¡¯ ¡®You¡¯re so irresponsible, Heinri.¡¯ He suddenly disappeared? He let Gerard know where I was, committing such a bad thing. Disappearing so we couldn¡¯t even meet and talk. I felt betrayed. ¡°As you can guess, he didn¡¯t do it for bad purposes.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It was a stupid mistake.¡± Kyle explained why Heinrich did it. It was to get me. But whatever the purpose was, the resulting situation had already occured, and nothing changed. As I wandered aimlessly, refusing escorts, I thought of a place where Heinrich might be. And, after a very long time¡­ I visited it after almost 10 years. ¡ªIt was the Forest. Where we first met. The lakeside in the Forest where I often went with Heinrich. Even when I headed there, I hoped that he wasn¡¯t there. Because it was the lakeside where there were only good memories of us. ¡°The Forest building has really disappeared¡­¡± On the way to the lakeside, I suddenly stopped by the Forest. The Forest was closed, and the old buildings looked very dated. It felt strange. Eventually, I went past it and finally reached the shore of the lake. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± My eyes traveled down and saw a silver head crouching down. ¡®Heinri¡­¡¯ The man, who was looking at the lake with a blank face, had the same expression as when I first saw him as a child. I slowly walked towards him. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Heinrich felt nothing, and didn¡¯t react as if he was conscious of nothing. Let¡¯s stand in front of him¡ª It literally felt like my heart was going to explode. ¡°¡­What are you doing here?¡± Silver hair fluttered in the wind. Like a doll, Heinrich didn¡¯t answer. My stomach slowly heated up. My eyes too. ¡°Heinrich, you told Gerard where I was?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Right? it¡¯s you?¡± ¡®Say something with your mouth, Heinri.¡¯ I bit my lips at Heinrich¡¯s attitude; refusing to answer and not even making eye contact. ¡®How could you do that?¡¯ ¡®How I truly loved you.¡¯ ¡®To me, who prayed for only your happiness.¡¯ ¡°What you did put the people of Bayonaire in danger!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t spoken a word with my mother. If it wasn¡¯t for you, I don¡¯t know. Maybe I could have saved my mother.¡± I could feel my voice sharpening as I spoke. ¡°Say something! Henri¡­¡± At that moment, Heinrich¡¯s dry, cracked lips moved slowly. He replied very softly. ¡°Right. It¡¯s me.¡± Heinrich slowly got up from his seat. It was then that I saw his face¨C his pale, skinny face. The silver-haired man boldly confessed. ¡°I did it.¡± ¡°¡­How could you do such a bad thing?¡± Heinrich¡¯s eyes narrowed. He laughed viciously. ¡°You didn¡¯t know? I¡¯m always bad. Stupid sister, always going ¡®good Heinrich, my Heinrich.¡¯ I¡¯ve never been good.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Stupid Annette, you¡¯ve been deceived by me.¡± I silently looked at Heinrich, not moving an inch. Just by receiving that cold gaze, Heinrich felt like his heart was being ripped to pieces. Heinrich, at this moment, thought of what had happened on the shores of this lake. A reckless but kind girl fell into the lake after being deceived by his mischief. ¡°¡­Wow, is Heinrich good at swimming? That¡¯s great. Cool. Keuk!¡± ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have loved you back then.¡¯ ¡°Sister, why are you being so nice to me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because I love you, Heinri. I like you the best in the world!¡± ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have believed that.¡¯ Tuk, tuk. Hot tears flowed from Heinrich¡¯s eyes. ¡°That¡¯s me. I was a terribly bad bastard from the start.¡± ¡®Only the naive you didn¡¯t know¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°So¡ª¡± He grabbed Annette¡¯s arms with trembling hands. He cried as he collapsed with eyes full of despair. ¡°If you don¡¯t love me the most, I¡¯d rather you hate me the most¡­¡± Ame: My mind is tired, and my heart is sore. Someone, wake me up from this nightmare. Putting that aside, I can¡¯t and won¡¯t condone Heinrich¡¯s actions, but I really just can¡¯t hate him. I guess I just find him really pitiful. All his life, nothing ever just comes easily for him¡­ add on a twisted perception of life (no thanks to sperm donor)¡­ ah, no wonder he¡¯s like this. It¡¯s easy to go ¡°you snitched on annette, you bad¡±, but it¡¯s more complex than that, isn¡¯t it? Tassie: I completely agree with Ame, it¡¯s very easy to hate him but Annette is the only person in his life to show him love. Yes what he did was wrong, but I find him more pitiful than hateful. I¡¯m hoping there¡¯ll be a redemption arc for him tho ;-; I hope we also get a happy ending for everyone ;-;;;;;; CH 132 ¡°¡­Hate you?¡± Annette asked. ¡®Heinrich, what¡¯s with those hurt eyes when you tell me to hate you?¡¯ Those eyes that seemed to be maimed by his own words. ¡°Yes.¡± Heinrich¡¯s lips moved firmly. Like the shades of a lonely winter dawn, tears flowed silently from the empty purple eyes. ¡°I¡¯d rather you hate me.¡± Let¡¯s get it back to normal. In a world without her, in the first place, everyone hated and didn¡¯t want him. His biological father and mother had abandoned him, and all the teachers in the Forest gave up on him. A world without even a handful of warmth. ¡®If only I had gotten used to that world¡­¡¯ He wouldn¡¯t have suffered such pain that was as if his whole body was being torn to pieces. ¡°Hate me.¡± The corners of Heinrich¡¯s lips rose. ¡®Even now, if I could have you, I would do anything, so consider me terrible, Sister.¡¯ ¡®Steal you right now, lock you in my own room, so that no one sees you¡­¡¯ ¡®I will mock you for saying that you want to see Sislin and make a doll just like you and kiss it in front of you.¡¯ ¡®Like my world where you¡¯re the only one existing¡­¡¯ ¡®I will burn everything in your world, leaving only me.¡¯ ¡®I will tease you by kissing you nonstop from morning to night and until dawn.¡¯ ¡®Until you succumb to my love and end up crying, saying that you love me.¡¯ ¡®I am such a human being, Annette.¡¯ ¡®No, it¡¯s trash.¡¯ ¡®My head is full of terrible thoughts.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m pretending to be nice. The truth is, I¡¯ve never been like that.¡¯ ¡®So, I¡­¡¯ ¡®Rather, you¡­¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­.¡± At that moment, a warm hand touched Heinrich¡¯s cheek. Annette whispered softly. ¡°You don¡¯t mean it.¡± You look like you¡¯re going to die, if I hate you even a little bit. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Transparent tears flowed from Heinrich¡¯s widened eyes. Those hot tears wet Annette¡¯s hands. Annette thought as she looked at the man crying like a child. ¡®Why did this happen?¡¯ ¡®I only wished for your happiness.¡¯ She looked at the collapsing Heinrich with painful eyes. However¡­ ¡°Heinrich, I can¡¯t forgive you.¡± Slowly, her warm hand fell. Heinrich¡¯s hand, which appeared as if he was trying to catch her belatedly, had no choice but to hang aimlessly in the air. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡®If I forgive you easily, I will feel sorry for the people of Bayonaire. Those who lost their lives were also precious to someone.¡¯ ¡°Goodbye, Heinrich.¡± The warmth was completely gone. Annette was the first to turn, completely out of her own will, leaving Heinrich behind. The cold wind blew and the trees trembled violently. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The man in the mirror was unfamiliar. A white mask was attached on the left side of his face and he was wearing gloves, but he was conscious of the ugly distorted skin inside. As a result of the failed curse, Gerard was half-broken and insane. ¡°Only one step. Just one span.¡± A low-pitched voice spread eerily. ¡°If only I could move forward.¡± His red eyes were looking through the mirror into an abyss. ¡°¡­I could have everything in my hands.¡± Why did this happen? Obviously, everything was going well until the moment he decided to adopt Annette as his daughter. From the day she left his arms, everything seemed to be ruined for him. He always had to struggle to get her, and he always missed what he wanted despite it being right before his nose. So, was the girl the culprit? ¡°No.¡± An empty voice rang out. ¡°It¡¯s not just the girl. At that time¡­ I should have killed that bastard!¡± Bang. He couldn¡¯t beat the person who was hit sharply and his fists were clenched! He punched the mirror fiercely. The masked face was horribly shattered. ¡°The day Sislin was born, I shouldn¡¯t have let him leave the Imperial Palace alive¡­¡± After all, it was from the day Sislin was born that his plans failed. The culprit was the one who took the newborn that was supposed to be a stillborn away. The newborn was the main culprit. Had Sislin not returned to become the crown prince and hadn¡¯t protected Annette, Gerard would have healed the body that was now collapsing with Annette¡¯s power and become the crown prince. No, he might have already become the emperor. ¡®If only I could correct the mistakes of that day!¡¯ Then, like a lightning bolt, a good idea came to his mind. The red eyes glistened. Ven¨¦num. It¡¯s powers were ¡®mind control¡¯ and ¡®time¡¯. What if he could turn back time and go back to that day? What if he could kill Sislin with his own hands, when he¡¯s a newborn and couldn¡¯t resist? What would happen if he removed the ¡®main culprit¡¯? ¡®Isn¡¯t this a genius idea?¡¯ The mere thought of it was ecstatic, and a paroxysmal laugh erupted from Gerard¡¯s mouth. He headed straight for the palace. And he called Ven¨¦num, pouring out his plans. A black snake slowly appeared and spun around in that dreary space. Ven¨¦num heard Gerard¡¯s plan and said. [Keke, you¡¯re thinking is quite clever and fun! You stupid human contractor.] ¡°Take me! To the day Sislin was born!¡± Gerard exclaimed with his arms wide open in excitement. ¡°I can feel the magical power overflowing in my body now!¡± After unleashing the power of Ven¨¦num, Gerard could feel his magical power getting stronger day by day. He felt himself assimilating with Ven¨¦num, to the point where he could use more and more evil magic. Of course, his life was doomed to a similar extent. With narrowed black eyes, Ven¨¦num informed. [Regression is a high-level magic. In your current state, it¡¯ll be a close call.] Kuuugh¡ª The fists covered by gloves that concealed the ugly scars clenched slowly. Gerard laughed. ¡°I have a feeling it will be possible.¡± [It¡¯s not possible.] ¡°¡­¡­.¡± [For the magic of returning to the past, the ¡®retention power¡¯ is the key.] Gerrard¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. ¡°Retention?¡± [Yes.] Slowly¡­ The black snake slowly climbed up Gerard¡¯s trousers. Then, in an instant, it wrapped around his body and came up to his neck. Gerard was horrified. The snake perched on the nape of his neck laughed strangely. Secretly squeezing its contractor¡¯s breath, the snake revealed. [Even if you succeed in regressing, if you do not have enough power, you¡¯ll come back to reality.] ¡°¡­¡­.¡± [It seems to me that you don¡¯t have the strength to keep up yet.] ¡°¡­Then, what should I do?¡± [Exordium¡¯s amplification is required.] ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± Damn, back to square one again? Does this game end only when he really has that girl? It meant the target should be modified from Sislin to Annette. [I can feel the power of Exordium getting stronger. The child will soon go through ¡®flowering¡¯.] ¡°Flowering?¡± [Yes. It¡¯s the moment when Exordium¡¯s power is complete. By then, she will become so strong that it¡¯ll be out of our hands. So¡­] ¡°¡­¡­.¡± [Before that, make her like Derkis.] ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The snake whispered wickedly. [It¡¯s very easy to extract power from an unconscious body. You know that, don¡¯t you?] The distorted eyes under the white mask were as red as blood. [After that, turn back time and defeat Sislin.] ¡°¡­¡­.¡± [This world¡­] Oh, how sweet was the whisper¡­ [Will be yours.] ¡­Of the snake¡¯s tongue. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ The moon was red today. I sighed as I looked at the moonlight while fiddling with my mother¡¯s handkerchiefs that I took out of the chest of drawers. The events of the day were not easily erased from my mind. ¡°If you don¡¯t love me the most, I¡¯d rather you hate me the most¡­¡± Words full of thorns. Words that stabbed himself as he exhaled them. ¡®Heinrich¡­ Why did you say that?¡¯ Did you happen to know what happened with Sislin? I was always the one who comforted Heinrich, but I couldn¡¯t say it in front of him. ¡®No, it¡¯s you that I love the most, Heinrich.¡¯ Regardless of what Heinrich had done to me. My heart said it was a lie. I remembered something Heinrich told me. ¡°I got an invitation from my biological father.¡± And when I went to the grand ducal mansion, I also heard that Heinrich had gone to the Magic Tower. Seeing that he had not gone back to his house for several days, it was clear that something had happened when he went to visit his biological father. ¡°¡­It must be very difficult.¡± Blankly, I licked my lips. ¡®You wouldn¡¯t still be standing on that cold lake shore under the red moonlight, right, Heinrich?¡¯ ¡°I would rather you hate me.¡± Tears welled up in my eyes as I recalled the wounded and sadly crying face. The tears I held back in front of Heinrich. Then, tok tok¡ª Victoria¡¯s voice came from outside the door. ¡°The Crown Prince wants to meet you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± I quickly cleared my throat and replied, ¡°Tell him to go back.¡± I couldn¡¯t meet him now. ¡°Yes.¡± With the response, Victoria¡¯s footsteps faded away. After a while¡­ In front of the chair I was sitting on, the window that projected the red moonlight flew wide open. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The red robe fluttered in the wind. Sislin calmly reached out and grabbed my chin as soon as he emerged through the window. ¡°Sislin¡­?!¡± Seeing the tear-soaked face, Sislin¡¯s lips twisted. ¡°You¡¯re crying.¡± ¡®You refused to meet me because you were crying alone with such a pretty face. Annette.¡¯ ¡®Maybe I¡¯ve finally gone crazy, I¡¯ve been thinking about you all day, but I couldn¡¯t stand it and ended up coming.¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­.¡± His sharp eyes narrowed as he looked down at that small, pale face glistening with tears in the moonlight. ¡°You¡¯re not crying because of me.¡± Sighing, he squeezed her cute lower lip with the hand holding her chin. He lowered his head and whispered as he wiped away the tears with his lips. ¡°I¡¯m jealous.¡± TAKE NOTE!!! We will be taking about a week¡¯s break from updating this project. Both the translator and proofreader (aka, me and Tassie) are travelling and either still recovering from illness or currently sick. We decided to not push ourselves. See you around the end of this month! Ame: Gerard, I bet a nice quiet life in the countryside is better than being six feet under? And author, after crushing our hearts with that Heinrich scene, I see you trying to do damage control with that last scene¡­ *stares* not complaining though keke Tassie: Poor Heinri¡­. BUT SISLIN!!!! ILL LEAVE MY WINDOW OPEN TOO BBY BOY CH 133 Tuk, as he stepped down from the window, he did not take his eyes off Annette, who was crying. The strongly drawn eyebrows above his sharp eyes were slightly raised. As if it was he was in a bad mood. That figure crying with a pale face was very strangely¡­ stimulating him. ¡°Get up.¡± ¡®Don¡¯t cry alone, prettily but sadly.¡¯ ¡®My Annette.¡¯ ¡°Sisl.¡± He got Annette up and pulled her into his arms. She shook her head helplessly. Sislin looked at the small body in his arms as if to eat it, and raised his large hand. Then he wiped away the tears with his thumb. ¡°You can¡¯t cry, it¡¯s a waste.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Some bastard made you cry.¡± ¡®Making you hide and cry alone.¡¯ Annette¡¯s small, red lips were firmly shut. Sislin thought about those lips all day. After tasting it once and swallowing it twice, he coveted those lips like an addicted patient. He felt impatient enough to pour kisses on her crying face, but then she would despise him. There was already enough contempt. ¡°You¡¯re not answering.¡± ¡°¡­Just.¡± ¡°He dared to bring tears to your eyes, so I must find him and kill him immediately.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± Annette shook her head vigorously. ¡°No, I am fine! Sisl.¡± Seeing that reaction, Sislin twisted his lips into a smirk. ¡°It¡¯s Heinrich.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡®How did you know?!¡¯ was written on Annette¡¯s face. But it was too simple a quiz. A person who she had enough affection for to cry out of frustration yet wants to protect the other person. Among all the humans, the only person who could do something that would make Annette cry uncontrollably¡­ It could only be Heinrich. ¡°I am really jealous. To the point where I want to make you cry all night.¡± ¡°¡­I think you¡¯ve gone crazy. You usually say you don¡¯t want me to cry.¡± Annette quickly tried to step back, but failed. It was cute that she tried to run away while crying, so he let out a low laugh and hugged her slender waist tightly, not letting go. Annette struggled and stretched helplessly. His red eyes curled up as he watched his adorable prey. ¡°Because it¡¯s prettier than I thought.¡± The crying face. A terribly low voice whispered softly. It didn¡¯t match his words. Annette looked up at him and said firmly. ¡°It¡¯s a matter between Heinrich and I, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t intervene this time¡­ Heinrich is having a hard enough time right now.¡± A subtle, tenacious, yet twisted feeling permeated Sislin¡¯s eyes. Krrr¡ª He reached out and pulled over a chair. He sat down on the chair first, then pulled Annette. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Putting that light body on his lap, Sislin looked at her, who was still with him. Her eyes were fascinating. It¡¯s like trying to twist a lover into a fun game in the middle of the night. ¡°Then let¡¯s talk about ¡®our problem¡¯.¡± A slight sense of doubt crossed Annette¡¯s face. ¡°¡­Our problem?!¡± ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°What method should I use¡­ To make her go to sleep?¡± His enemies. Gerard thought, twisting the corners of his lips. How could he make that girl lie down and just breathe like her mother. How to make her just barely maintain her life and dedicate the power of Exordium to him. [I can feel the power of Exordium getting stronger. The child will soon go through ¡®flowering¡¯.] There wasn¡¯t much time left for Gerard. He was using the power of Ven¨¦num, completely unlocking its power in exchange for his life force. The fiercer the fire, the faster the firewood would be consumed. Gerard clenched and stretched his black gloved hand slowly, looking for a good way. Then, Avilus said, ¡°How about using magic?!¡± ¡°Stupid fool!¡± Gerard reacted sensitively. ¡°Now is the time to conserve energy. It¡¯s too risky to use my powers to defeat that weak girl.¡± The power of sorcery was too costly when it failed. He stroked his mask painfully. Inside, were traces of the ugly distorted ¡®failure¡¯. It was good to save energy until ¡®that day¡¯ as much as possible. That day, the day where he would turn back time and cut off the neck of Sislin, who was the main culprit. Until then, he has no choice but to conserve the power as much as possible and use it only where he really needs it. Then Avilus said, ¡°¡­There is a good way. How about paralysis poison?¡± ¡°¡­Paralysis poison?¡± Gerard clicked his tongue. ¡°It¡¯s too risky to use a poison that leaves traces.¡± Wasn¡¯t he currently being investigated by the Great Temple? If he couldn¡¯t covertly deal with the girl and end up leaving a trace, his immeasurable reputation would be irreparable. For Gerard, who had to be concerned about his position in El Dorado while dreaming of a future emperor, poison was burdensome in that sense. Avilus¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. ¡°I recommend the only ¡®no-trace¡¯ poison.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The red eyes inside the white mask shone with a temper. ¡°Does the poison really leave no traces?¡± Then it was the best. Especially if it¡¯s a paralyzing poison. She would collapse, literally intact, her life unharmed. Just like her mother, whom he worked hard on. ¡°Yes, Prince. I heard that it was a poison created by the archmages of the tower during their quarrels over their rights.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Shall I arrange a meeting?¡± The archmages of the Magic Tower enjoy a high position and power, but once they were subjected to a filthy scandal or exposed to evil deeds, they were permanently disqualified. So there was credibility in the words that they had created such a secret poison. ¡°Arrange it for tonight.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± That night. There was a person who secretly visited Gerard¡¯s private palace. The guest was secretly covered in a robe to hide his identity. But Gerard already knew the name of his visitor. He smiled and opened his mouth. ¡°You¡¯re here, Grand Duke Valentino.¡± The guest pulled back the part of the robe that had covered his face and revealed himself. Seuk, flowing silver hair. The purple eyes beneath it were curved with an evil light. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ Our problem. What¡¯s the matter between the two of us? ¨DWell, when I think about it, a lot of things happened with Sislin. First of all, that weird kiss. But it¡¯s a bit too much to say¡­ that¡¯s the problem. The ¡®our problem¡¯ that Sislin pointed out was beyond my expectations. ¡°How long will you tease me?¡± ¡°¡­¡­?!¡± Was there such a problem between us? Sislin narrowed his eyes as he looked at Annette who was making an expression of ¡®what the heck are you talking about¡¯. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re still maintaining the attitude of ¡®rejection of the marriage proposal¡¯.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You stole my lips.¡± Yes? Who stole what? My face flushed red. The man, delighted with the reaction, spit out. ¡°You did it first. Kiss.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± I responded instantly, jumping as if on fire. ¡°I didn¡¯t do that on purpose. That¡­ Sisl, it¡¯s because you¡¯re sick¡­ like artificial respiration or therapy.¡± Sislin gently shook his head and brought his hot lips to hers. Slowly, his rib cage moved. Barely breathing, and not kissing deeply. It was a strange kiss where only the lips touched. ¡°Isn¡¯t this a kiss?¡± ¡°This¡­¡± My eyelids fell. The man¡¯s red, sharp gaze reached the slender, white neck that breathed out in surprise. The sound of her pounding heart and neckline thickening as she exhaled shakily made him thirsty. He pierced through the soft, pulsating skin. He whispered seductively, engraving a warm touch. ¡°How about this.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± I replied, putting a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Sislin, that¡¯s right. It¡¯s a kiss.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s simple.¡± The man who robbed the woman of surrender raised his head and leaned leisurely on the back of the chair. ¡°You took my heart, and not just my heart¡­ you took my body too.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?!¡± ¡°You have to take responsibility.¡± I¡­ Did I steal that much without knowing it? I blinked. ¡°How can I take responsibility for just one kiss!¡± Without even blinking an eye, Sislin spoke as he touched his chest with a brazen face. ¡°How can you hurt an innocent man like this? It was my first kiss.¡± ¡®It was too good to believe it was your first kiss, Sisl.¡¯ ¡®Besides, innocent? Even now, you¡¯re acting so sly.¡¯ It was a moment that really made me want to protest. I asked sternly. ¡°And when did I take your body?¡± ¡°Why, was that not enough?¡± He placed his elbow on the armrest and gently propped his chin up, looking at me. Then he said with a smile on his face. ¡°Shall I sleep here tonight?¡± CH 134 When he said that he would sleep here, his hot lips touched mine before I could answer. A breath flowed in an instant, and something sweeter and hotter than that breath enveloped me. Feeling each other¡¯s heat through the narrow gap between the lips, the kiss continued until our hearts throbbed over and over again. My heart was pounding. Like playing a very dangerous game. But it was so sweet that it was almost impossible to stop. ¡°Ah¡­¡± The lips fell softly like marshmallows. The end of a momentary thrilling kiss. Sislin¡¯s bright eyes turned to me. Before I knew it, his big hand was gently stroking my red cheeks. Like he would swallow it again if he could. Was it just me or were kisses not enough? I wondered, but now that I saw it, it seemed that Sislin¡¯s thirst was deeper. He was expressionless, but his face was wet with lust to the extent that I thought he had only thought of ¡®this thing¡¯ all day. ¡ªIt was a little bit scary. As scary as it was, an unfamiliar thrill was pounding in one side of my chest. ¡®Am I crazy?¡¯ I struggled to straighten my expression and continued the conversation before the kiss. ¡°¡­There¡¯ll be rumors, Your Highness. Like, ¡®I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re sleeping over while you¡¯re not married¡¯.¡± Saying respectful words when drawing a line was now a habit. His lips drew a mischievous arc. ¡°I would like to hear from you.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°The beautiful and promising duchess and the monster prince of the Crevasse¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Just the two of us.¡± A large hand wrapped around my waist without hesitation. In an instant, my spine was tense and tight. The warm body temperature felt through the thin fabric was vividly penetrating down to my lower abdomen. The well-shaped lips moved. ¡°No matter day or night.¡± ¡°¡­Indiscriminately.¡± Without realizing it, I was following his words blankly. At that time, Sislin¡¯s head bowed slowly. Her black, fine hair flowed down like silk that absorbed the night sky. Seuk¡ª The sensual lips bit the ribbon of my clothes. White teeth were suddenly revealed. With a slow pull, the fragile knot of the ribbon was untied so easily, undoing the closure of the garment. I could feel the cold air and his hot breath on the exposed skin at the same time, so I got goosebumps. ¡°Without breathing¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Getting drunk on each other every day.¡± He pretended to want to share his thoughts, but in reality, it was like a declaration of war. It was seduction. My heart was racing so much that I could feel it pounding. My pulse leaped at the mere brush of the exposed skin. I knew. If I showed even the slightest gap in front of this man, I would be completely eaten up today. I said, pretending to be calm. ¡°It¡¯s hard to be gossiped about, Sisl.¡± ¡°Then shall we keep it a secret?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Seeing his slightly curved red eyes, I was a little surprised. ¡®What, he can make a face like that?¡¯ It¡¯s¡­ Like an innocent boy who wanted to play. ¡°It¡¯s a secret, only the two of us know.¡± His long fingers crept between mine, slowly interlacing. ¡°¡ªWhat do you think.¡± Let¡¯s be together day and night without a break¡­ Would that be a secret? ¡®Why did this happen?¡¯ At this point, I had no choice but to think about this. I definitely turned down his proposal some time ago. I drew the line properly, and put the ¡®problem with Sislin¡¯ far behind other things I thought were urgent. But suddenly, he came after me again, grabbed my heart, and shook it. It¡¯s always been like this. ¡®The problem is¡­ I have changed.¡¯ In the past, he would have felt like a hound trying to bite the nape of my neck. Now¡­ I was excited as much as I was nervous. My heart was pounding enough to offset the fear. ¡°I love you.¡± Perhaps it was because of the kiss and hot confession of the last meeting. That confession was sweet and soft enough to make my mind confused¡­ ¡°I love you, Annette.¡± ¡ªHe kept making me excited. Sislin buried his lips deep into the back of my hand and gazed straight at me. I could feel the heat in his red eyes. I barely managed to avoid the gaze, muttering, ¡°¡­I tend to not be able to sleep deeply when there are people next to me, so I can¡¯t, Sislin.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll put you to sleep.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll soon be able to sleep well because you¡¯ll be feeling drowsy and tired.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± That sounds so lewd! I quickly got up from his lap and fell far away. ¡°I need you to leave, Your Highness.¡± Then I pointed firmly at the window. He let out a low laugh. ¡°It¡¯s too much. Telling me to go out the window.¡± ¡®Didn¡¯t you come in through there?¡¯ ¡®And if you go out the window, I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll get hurt at all.¡¯ ¡°Don¡¯t cry for another man.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°If you cry again¡­¡± ¡®Your heart will hurt? Is it like this?¡¯ As I was looking at him with slightly anticipating eyes, Sislin approached and wrapped his fingers around my chin. Darkened red eyes looked at me. ¡°I will make you cry for me.¡± Your Highness, you¡¯re a real nutcase, aren¡¯t you? ¡®It doesn¡¯t change.¡¯ As I was thinking, a sweet voice landed in my ear. ¡°I¡¯ll make you cry because you like it.¡± My cheeks turned a little red at the unexpected words. The subtlety of saying that he would make me cry from enjoyment was a little different from all the nuances so far. It sounded like he was going to make me happy. Was it the obsessive maniac version of those words? ¡°Good night, Annette.¡± He kissed my forehead lightly, and in an instant climbed onto the railing of the window. Under the pouring moonlight, his black hair shone like a ray of light pooling in a crystal glass. A robe resembling his red eyes fluttered in the wind. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± He disappeared under the window in an instant. I quickly jumped up from my position, ran to the window, and looked down. But there was no trace of Sislin. He just disappeared like a lie. ¡°Did you really go out the window?¡± Leaving the front door alone. Indeed, a rumor of the crown prince visiting the mansion of the unmarried duchess at night was not good. ¡®¡­You¡¯re considerate of me.¡¯ The wind was cool. My heart, which was throbbing hot, was not easily cooled by the wind. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°Heinrich? That¡¯s a garbage name. He will grow up to be vulgar like his mother.¡± Belsac Valentino had abandoned a pregnant woman. The reason was simple. He was a terrible purist, and he thought that meeting with a courtesan was simply for the pursuit of pleasure. Despite being with that courtesan for 10 years. It didn¡¯t matter to him that a meeting like that could actually be seen as love, not just pleasure. He was such an aristocrat that he couldn¡¯t even notice the affection that had sprouted in his heart. ¡°¡­But this child is yours, Grand Duke.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t appear in front of me again. Abandon the hope that the thing you gave birth to could be the son of this Valentino.¡± After some time, when the courtesan, whom he had abandoned, gave up on her life and child, Belsac was shocked but did not regret his choice. No, he should not have regrets. He drank all night at her funeral, after which he often had visions of her still alive, but that was all. He occasionally heard her in his hallucinations, but he ignored it. He didn¡¯t want the son either. Even if his blood had been mixed, the filthy mongrel would not have inherited even the slightest bit of his talent. ¡°This body will one day become the master of this tower. I can¡¯t have a weakness by collecting a mongrel son¡­ I came into this tower at a great cost and became one of the nine archmages!¡± Belsac lived his entire life to become the perfect archmage with a pristine history. His dream was to become the tower lord and have his son succeed him. Thus, the ultimate goal of Belsac¡¯s life was to engrave the greatness of the ¡®Grand Duchy of Valentino¡¯ in the history of the tower, and to have it shine from generation to generation. ¡ªSo this was a shock. ¡°I think the next tower lord will be Grand Duke Heinrich Hyacinth.¡± As a matter of fact, Heinrich¡­ He was not only a son who inherited 100% of Valentino¡¯s talent, but more than that. On the other hand, Eric, a son born to a noble wife, lacked magical talent. If you describe it as rolling the dice of Valentino¡¯s talent, Eric came up with a ¡®1¡¯. Meanwhile, Heinrich was the perfect ¡®6¡¯ itself. Everything seemed easy to Heinrich. A true genius, he created novel magic tools, and he became an archmage so simply, recognized by everyone. He had the ability to overwhelm any of the nine great wizards, and now he had become a candidate for the Magic Tower, threatening his lifelong goal. ¡®If only I had Heinrich!¡¯ ¡­If he was ¡®Heinrich Valentino¡¯! Belsac thought about it from time to time, but he couldn¡¯t acknowledge Heinrich. If so, he had to regret abandoning the courtesan from a long time ago, that he might have loved. He had to regret his whole life. So, instead of admitting it, he decided to become the master of the tower. A man just like himself. By joining hands with Prince Gerard, who was thirsty for the highest position, but had no way at present. It was time for a bet. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯re here, Archduke Valentino.¡± Belsac took off his robe and sat down. ¡°Thank you for the hospitality, Prince Gerard.¡± ¡°I heard that there¡¯s a wizard who uses paralyzing poison that leaves no trace¡­¡± Eerily red eyes under long grayish-white hair looked over at Belsac. Then he pulled his lips into a smirk. ¡°That¡¯s surprising. An archmage like you could create such a thing.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mean to offend, but it¡¯s usually done by dark-hearted and vile people.¡± The corners of Belsac¡¯s lips rose. With an obviously fake laugh. ¡°The prince will not even be able to guess what kind of life I have lived.¡± Belsac rummaged through his robe, pulled out a vial, and held it in his hand. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Gerard¡¯s eyes shone with interest, but Belsac chuckled, speaking without letting go of the bottle. ¡°You have to keep your promise.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°If you regain power as in the past, you will participate in the Magic Tower¡¯s voting and establish me as the next tower lord.¡± CH 135 ¡°If I could become the crown prince and become the only emperor of this country in the future¡ª¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I promise that the descendants of Valentino will rule the tower from generation to generation.¡± Gerard¡¯s words were aimed precisely at Belsac¡¯s own desires, and the latter¡¯s eyes lit up. Belsac Valentino, who abandoned a pregnant woman and even the child in her womb, but did not abandon his ¡®pride as a wizard¡¯, had to admit it. That at this very moment, he also gave up his pride as a wizard. At last, he was relieved. It was only now that he made up his mind to try to defeat an opponent he couldn¡¯t win against through his own skills with dishonest power. The fact that the opponent was ¡®Heinrich¡¯, the son he had abandoned, would be a disgusting situation in the eyes of others. But he couldn¡¯t fail. He had to become the magic tower lord himself, and he wanted to somehow make his son, who rolled a ¡®1¡¯ when it came to magic talent, succeed him. He had to prove that his choice was right. Belsac swallowed his saliva and, as if determined, finally put down the vial, releasing it from his grasp. The red vial was shining brightly. As if showing off the terrible things it could do. ¡°Prince, this paralyzing poison is made of special ¡®blood¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­The ingredient is blood?¡± Inside Gerard¡¯s mask, his bizarrely distorted red eyes gleamed. ¡®The ingredients are very unique.¡¯ There were normally two ways to make a paralyzing poison. Using poisonous herbs, or casting a curse on a liquid drug that worked quickly. But, ¡®blood¡¯? ¡°It is made by mixing the blood of ¡®Valentino¡¯ with the blood of ¡®Ramosa¡¯.¡± If it was Ramosa, then it was the family of Belsac¡¯s wife. A venerable marquisate. From generation to generation, it was a family with a long history in magic. Magic flowed in the blood of the wizard, and each family had its own unique characteristics. Gerard had a rough guess, but he couldn¡¯t figure out how. How did he create such a monstrous poison? ¡°This poison¡­ How the hell did you make it?¡± Eventually, when Gerard asked out of curiosity, Belsac¡¯s eyes curved along with a smirk. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you that.¡± Was it a secret even to the person you¡¯re holding hands with? ¡°However, I can tell you that this poison has recently reduced someone to a doll that only breathes.¡± ¡®A doll that only breathes!¡¯ That was what Gerard wanted for Annette. And at the same time, ¡®someone¡¯ came to mind. Not long ago, for no particular reason, the current tower lord lost consciousness and became a doll that only breathed. He was an old but healthy man, but he collapsed out of the blue. Gerard smiled lowly, as if he had guessed it. ¡®¡­The effectiveness of this paralyzing poison is certain.¡¯ It was quite encouraging that the culprit who put the tower lord in such a state had not been identified to this day. ¡®Isn¡¯t that proof that it¡¯s really a poison that doesn¡¯t leave a single trace?¡¯ ¡°This poison is lethal to all beings who do not inherit the blood of Valentino and Ramosa.¡± ¡°¡­You made a monster.¡± It was a poison that only his children and descendants would remain intact from; it could destroy everything else. Even Gerard frowned at the viciousness. He was familiar with Belsac¡¯s strong desire to lead Valentino as the head of the family, but¡­ A poison that harms everyone but his family? ¡°The effect is immediate, but there will be no traces.¡± Belsac¡¯s merciless eyes shone. ¡°Add this to the person¡¯s food or drink.¡± His voice deepened. ¡°Or dip it in a hidden weapon or a dagger.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Then the Prince will surely be able to achieve the wanted results.¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± Gerard¡¯s lips tore open into a smile. ¡°It¡¯s refreshing to think about seeing that girl and the crown prince perish!¡± This time! He felt it. If this ¡®regression¡¯ fails, there would be no ¡®next¡¯. His body was dying little by little even now. The beginning of this great operation was the fall of Annette. ¡°From now on, Valentino will be the Prince¡¯s friend. Forever.¡± And, even a strong archmage ally. ¡®I¡¯m not confident.¡¯ ¡®¡­Not confident that I¡¯ll fail!¡¯ ¡°Ahahahahaha!¡± Gerard¡¯s frenzied laughter echoed through the air. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ The Founding Eve. A splendid banquet was held at the Imperial Palace ahead of the National Foundation Festival, El Dorado¡¯s largest national event. ¡°¡­It has been a long time since I¡¯ve attended such a grand banquet.¡± I think it¡¯s the first time since the banquet held at the Imperial Palace when I received ¡®socialization training¡¯ about 10 years ago. ¡®It seems like the country has become a huge jewel.¡¯ Among the beautiful fountains and decorations, nobles, who were also in their most elaborate fashion, passed. The Imperial Palace felt like a small jewel adorned with diamonds. It made me feel excited for no reason. ¡°It¡¯s because the Founding Eve is special.¡± In a neat dress, Victoria was also dressed up beautifully today. ¡°It¡¯s a place where one can hide their identity with a mask, and both the imperial family and the aristocracy freely mingle.¡± She whispered in hush. ¡°And because each other¡¯s identities are not known, young ladies and young lords sometimes forget their status and fall in romantic love.¡± Oh my, how romantic. ¡°At the last founding banquet, a lady and lord of two enemy families fell in love, causing a big scandal.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Oh my god, like Romeo and Juliet? ¡°The two of them escaped at night and were caught.¡± ¡®Wow, El Dorado nobles are wild.¡¯ I immediately became immersed in the story, asking, ¡°So what happened?¡± Victoria smiled softly, her eyes gently curving. ¡°Can you resist a love so passionate to the point of being willing to abandon everything? ¡­In the end, the heads of the two families made a peace treaty.¡± ¡°Good for them!¡± The Romeo and Juliet in El Dorado didn¡¯t end in tragedy. ¡®Happy endings are always fun.¡¯ ¡®Can you resist a love so passionate to the point of being willing to abandon everything?¡¯ The question¨D for some reason, ran through my heart once more. While chatting with Victoria, I arrived at the banquet hall. ¡°I won¡¯t be serving you in the banquet hall. I also have to find a man to be passionate about tonight.¡± ¡°¡­Victoria.¡± I burst out laughing at her words. But I knew the rules of this banquet. First, do not bring a personal attendant. Second, wear a mask. Victoria and I wore masks according to the second rule. Somehow, I felt very excited. ¡®To be free without being bound by anyone.¡¯ There was neither the duty of the ¡®Duchess of Valienne¡¯ nor ¡®Annette¡¯ in this. When I finally opened the golden door and went inside, the gatekeeper called out loudly. ¡°¨DAn anonymous beautiful young lady has arrived!¡± In an instant, everyone¡¯s eyes were focused on me. It was a tense moment. ¡­However, soon everyone¡¯s eyes naturally dispersed. If they had known that I was ¡®Duchess Valienne¡¯, the gazes would have stayed for a long time. ¡®I guess they really can¡¯t recognize me.¡¯ ¡®Fufu, then there is something I must do.¡¯ ¡®¡ªEat a lot of bread!¡¯ I couldn¡¯t eat a lot of delicious bread in the banquet hall because I was playing the role of a dignified duchess. Even though I had heard of the awesomeness of the imperial bakery. It was at that time when the bread lover was making a grand plan. ¡°¡­¡­?¡± A gaze was felt from somewhere. As I followed the gaze, I found a mask-wearing man by a pillar. The man with silver hair, as beautiful as it appeared fine, was wearing a mask made as delicately as glass. The eyes inside that mask¡­ ¡­were a cold and deep purple like a winter dawn. In an instant, my heart sank. ¡®Heinrich.¡¯ He was wearing a mask, but I could recognize him. Because, ¡®¡ªHeinrich, it¡¯s you.¡¯ ¡®Even if you hide in the countless shining stars, I will always recognize you.¡¯ ¡®Because you are always the brightest in my eyes.¡¯ ¡®Even when I first possessed this world, I could only see you in the crowd.¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­.¡± We couldn¡¯t close the distance. We could only look at each other. Feeling my heart throb, I put my hand on my chest. It was during this gap. A crowd of gorgeously decorated ladies passed by and obscured my view. And the next moment. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Heinrich, who had been in sight, disappeared. As if he was a ghost, without a trace. ¡®Where did you go?¡¯ It was when I took a step forward and glanced around. A man of solid physique appeared in front of me. He was a man with jet-black hair and beautiful blue eyes. His face was covered with a mask, but he couldn¡¯t hide his splendor. ¡®Is it a person I know¡­ No, it¡¯s not.¡¯ He bent down and held out his hand in a manner consistent with restraint and propriety. ¡°Lady.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Will you give me the glory of your first dance?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Suddenly, a new song rang out, and people were gathering in the dance hall. I wanted to refuse, but it was not in accordance with the empire¡¯s etiquette to refuse the ¡®first dance¡¯. Unconditional acceptance was the rule. In addition, tonight must have been an exciting night for the other party. I didn¡¯t want to spoil the mood of this harmless person. ¡°¡­With pleasure.¡± I was forced to hold his hand. ¡°It happened to be a waltz, Lady.¡± The man smiled softly, and, unlike that smile, Tuk! A firm arm wrapped around my waist, squeezing me into a hug. ¡®¡­A very passionate dancer.¡¯ It was a little nerve-inducing. ¡®Isn¡¯t that a bit rude?¡¯ Just hugging a lady¡¯s waist. Tak! I placed a hand on his toned chest. I could feel him stiffen for a second. The wonderful muscles of this chest were tightly tense. I brazenly looked at him with an expression of ¡®why, well, you did it too¡¯ (although, of course, the mask didn¡¯t convey all of my shamelessness). He hugged my waist tighter and whispered. ¡°I want to dance all night with you.¡± I gave strength to the hand on his chest. ¡°Me too.¡± ¡®Who the hell is this crazy guy?¡¯ But it was really weird. Somehow, there was familiarity. ¡­This body scent. Moreover, the attitude was somewhat natural. I asked as I danced to the light waltz. ¡°Do you know me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡®¡­This is a man I know?¡¯ ¡®But the only men I know are Sislin, Heinrich, and Kyle.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t any of those three men. ¡®He must have misunderstood.¡¯ I was certain he mistook another woman for me and came up with this kind of prank. I said, ¡°It must be a mistake. My social circle is small, so I only know three men.¡± Then he laid me down slowly, lifted me up again, and whispered in my ear. In a voice so low that my heart pounded. ¡°I am among those three.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?!¡± Ame: *munching on rice crackers* place yer bets! Tassie: Honestly, at this point, it could be any of them XD I wanna say Kyle cuz we haven¡¯t seen him in a while but it could easily be the other two lol CH 136 ¡®What do you mean?¡¯ ¡®You¡¯re either Sislin, Heinrich, or Kyle?¡¯ I stared at the black-haired wall-like man who said strange things. His face looked different from them. ¡°Lies.¡± ¡°¡­Really. Guess who I am.¡± Even the voice was different from those of the three. It was as low as Sislin¡¯s, but drowsy like Heinrich¡¯s. On the other hand, the way he spoke was somewhat similar to Kyle. The characteristics of the three were equally felt. ¡°Hint number one, someone who is always around you and thinking of you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The first one that came to mind was Sislin. But Heinrich and Kyle were the same¡­ The handsome man¡¯s eyes curved. ¡°I see you even in my dreams.¡± It was like an embarrassingly romantic confession disguised as a hint. ¡®The ody scent is not Sislin¡¯s.¡¯ But was there a law that said a man who changed his appearance wouldn¡¯t change his body scent? I gazed at him with suspicion. ¡°What¡¯s the next hint?¡± Amidst an elegant and upbeat melody, we hugged and danced around. It was a time to focus entirely on each other. It felt like everything in the sparkling Imperial Palace had disappeared and only the two of us were left. ¡°Second.¡± He whispered in my ear. ¡°Someone who wants to be with you all the time. It¡¯s my dream to become an old man in the distant future and walk hand in hand with you.¡± A faint smile formed on my lips. It was also a dream I longed for. This was always the future I drew in my dreams. I imagined my husband and I, old but affectionate, holding hands and walking in the garden together, smelling the flowers. It was a dream that always made me feel better. ¡°The last hint¡­¡± A low voice flowed into my ear. The waltz passed the climax, continuing into a calm melody. ¡°A person who will do anything for your happiness.¡± Then the notes of the violin subsided, and the strength in his forearm, on which I rested my hand (when the waltz started, I took my hand off his chest and took a normal posture). I finished the dance safely in his arms. It was a comfortable dance. Finally, as I did the last curtsy of the waltz, I looked up at him and said, ¡°I think I know the answer.¡± ¡°Really? I will give you three chances.¡± ¡°Pfft. I can answer three times, right?¡± What¡¯s that? The generosity of giving me three chances even though I have three answers. He spoke quietly, leaning back. ¡°I don¡¯t want to see the lady upset because she didn¡¯t get the right answer.¡± He was delicate and kind-hearted. I took a step forward and whispered to him. ¡°The correct answer is ¡®Mr. Kyle¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± He gazed at me without much change in expression. But I spot a small emotion flickering in those dark blue eyes. I revealed why. The decisive reason I believe it¡¯s him. ¡°You can make up the way you speak, but you can¡¯t fake the warmth.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I can feel you.¡± The mysterious masked man exhaled quietly. Then he slowly lifted the mask, pulling it up. In the place where the magic of the mask that changed his appearance was slightly dispelled, emerald-colored eyes were revealed. Warm curls flowed down like an autumn wheat field. As he smiled slowly, a charming Indian dimple was embedded on his cheek. ¡°Owner.¡± ¡°Now, no matter how many masks you wear, I recognize you, Mr. Baby Squirrel Mask.¡± Kyle¡¯s bright smile deepened a little. The boy, who wanted to be remembered by a girl and thus hovered around her and remembered her tastes, finally succeeded. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°For recognizing me.¡± Kyle kissed the back of my hand; I didn¡¯t know what to say. Putting on the mask again, he returned to a man with black hair and blue eyes, but the affectionate heart and body temperature contained in that kiss were completely his own. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ When you¡¯re so happy, your heart beats faster. It was a conditioned reflex, like dogs running around under the snowy sky. ¡°¡­Marquis Winston!¡± No, would it be more correct to call him ¡®innocent aspiring father-in-law¡¯? ¡ªLong time no see, Marquis Winston. At present, in El Dorado, everyone understood the word ¡®Marquis Winston¡¯ as Kyle, but I was still used to calling his father, Bizet Winston, as that. The only adult who taught me warmth. The person who reached out without hesitation when I was young and planned to leave the Forest alone to protect the boys. The one who put up with everything and was on my side. All this while, wearing a mask and meeting me as the ¡®phantom thief boy¡¯, Completely as Marquis Winston¡­ It had been a long time since I had met him the way he should be. Maybe that¡¯s why Marquis Winston didn¡¯t even bother to wear a mask to change his appearance. Through the mask, the mature face was visible. I vaguely remembered. The moment I fell in love at first sight with my ¡®ideal Dad¡¯. That instance of the past was not overshadowed. Bizet Winston, who I reunited with after a long time, looked very handsome despite having aged. ¡®Oh my God, you should be middle-aged!¡¯ Actually, except for the wrinkles around his mouth, he looked as young as his son, enough to call him a vampire. ¡°Our Annette, I miss you so much.¡± ¡°Me too, Marquis. I received your letter saying you were coming to the foundation festival, but I didn¡¯t know you would come on the eve!¡± ¡°¡­Did you miss me?¡± ¡°Really, very much!¡± I held Bizet¡¯s hand tightly, unable to hide my joy. ¡°Oh, should I call you ¡®Duchess Valienne¡¯ now?¡± ¡°Not at all. I hope you can call me comfortably. It¡¯s not even an official appearance.¡± I shook my head. ¡°Besides, you are like a father to me.¡± ¡°¡­Annette¡­¡± Bizet¡¯s emerald eyes trembled as if he was truly moved. ¡°Ah, really, you have grown up to be such a beautiful girl.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°If the Marquis hadn¡¯t taken care of me in the meantime, I might not be here now. I will always be grateful.¡± ¡°What gratitude? That was a deal, Annette. You¡¯ve already paid me enough, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡­Enough payment? All this time, I kept trying to pay less by cutting wages, making it ¡®half-price¡¯. ¡®Hmmm, I paid it all off after that, though.¡¯ ¡®I couldn¡¯t help it because I was in the mad self-employed mode, Marquis.¡¯ ¡®Besides, if it was a real deal, he wouldn¡¯t have feuded with the prince and left for the outskirts.¡¯ ¡°The Marquis suffered too much for it to be a deal.¡± ¡°What loss?¡± Bizet smiled warmly from the inside of the mask and covered my cheeks. ¡°I¡¯ve assisted such a healthy and beautiful girl become a lady. With that, I¡¯ve already been fully compensated.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± My heart was pounding at the heart that truly cared for me, and I felt like I was about to shed a little bit of tears. ¡®Thank you, Marquis.¡¯ Thanks to this handsome long-legged uncle, what kind of love my mom and dad would¡¯ve given me¡­ I could even guess. There was no need for envy anymore. I couldn¡¯t cry in front of the dear man I hadn¡¯t seen in a long time, so I smiled. ¡®Because today is a good day.¡¯ ¡°Oh, Marquis. Instead, there¡¯s a ¡®wish coupon¡¯ right?¡± I still haven¡¯t forgotten the promise I made from when I first struck a deal with the phantom thief boy. ¡°After you grow up, do one thing I want. That is the price of the transaction.¡± He said he wanted a wish coupon in exchange for helping me escape. Now, I have grown up well, and was big enough to give him anything he wanted. ¡°I¡¯ll listen to anything!¡± I confidently affirmed. ¡°Now I am in a position where I can do anything for you.¡± He was the one who constantly took care of me under the guise of a ¡®deal¡¯ because he was afraid I would be burdened. For him, I wanted to do anything as Annette and as ¡®Duchess Valienne¡¯. ¨DI wanted to repay him somehow. For the grace and unconditional love he showed me. ¡°¡­Hmmm, I have a lot of wishes.¡± Why? ¡®All of a sudden, why do you have such an evil expression on your face?¡¯ There was a young smile on the face of the innocent aspiring father-in-law who was in serious agony as he touched his chin for a moment (it was an expression that showed he wanted to request something great). ¡°Father.¡± As if reading that expression, Kyle, who had been standing quietly, stepped out with an embarrassed face. Like he was trying to stop him. ¡°Wait, Kyle. I have to choose the greatest of all my wishes.¡± ¡®¡­What is the total wealth of the Duchy of Valienne?¡¯ ¡®Which of the mines I own is the most valuable?¡¯ ¡®How much could I achieve with the power of the Duchy of Valienne?¡¯ ¡®Or¡­ maybe, marriage?!¡¯ ¡®Marry your son, you¡¯re not going to wish that, are you?¡¯ By the time my nervousness reached my toes, Bizet lowered his head towards me. And he confided. With a very sweet voice, the same as when he proposed to me to be his daughter-in-law the day we first met. ¡°Always be happy, Annette.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Of all the wishes I have, that is the most valuable.¡± Ame: TT_TT kyle, you¡¯re really sweet and warm, but daddy bizet is just the best Tassie: #daddy of the year #not like that #go to horny jail *bonk* CH 137 ¡ªAlways be happy. That was the most precious of his wishes¡­ They were the sweetest and warmest words I had ever heard in my life. To the point that I was ashamed of my heart as I counted the wealth and mines of Valienne. Frankly, the love and kindness he gave me could never be repaid with material rewards. ¡®I¡¯m so stupid.¡¯ I was drenched by an infinitely kind heart, and this time, I really felt like I was going to cry. So I quickly turned around and covered my eyes. A warm voice could be heard from behind. ¡°Annette.¡± ¡°Thank you, Marquis. However¡­¡± I immediately turned around and spoke in a very firm tone. ¡°You can¡¯t use the wish like that.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I will do my best to be good to you. As much as I received, I will now stand by your side and be a strong support.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to do a really good job!¡± ¡°¡­Annette.¡± Now, it was Bizet¡¯s eyes that were trembling. It was for a moment, as if touched, then he smiled softly. It was a genuinely happy face. Sincere happiness was oozing out of his bright, clear smile. ¡°As much as the Marquis did for me, I will pay you back bit by bit.¡± After a while, Bizet put a hand on his chest and said, ¡°Ah, what a wonderful daughter-in-law! How can I not covet it!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Ah, how did the conversation turn into this? ¡®It has been over 10 years since he proposed to me to be his daughter-in-law, but you still want me to be your daughter-in-law?¡¯ Contrary to Annette, who was surprised by his tenacity, when Kyle heard the ¡®declaration of a wonderful daughter-in-law¡¯, his ears burned red as if embarrassed. Since¡­ If his father wanted Annette to become his daughter-in-law, the first order of business was to get her to marry Kyle. Kyle muttered after letting out a low cough. ¡°Father, let¡¯s leave now. Other nobles are waiting for greetings.¡± ¡°Wait a minute, Kyle.¡± Bizet firmly stopped Kyle with one hand, then he moved closer to me. ¡°I heard the story. There are three men who proposed to our Annette?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes?¡± Did the rumors travel that far that three crazy guys (one of which is your son) proposed to me? ¡­Could it be that Kyle told him? But¡­ I didn¡¯t tell Kyle everything. As I glanced at Kyle with a slightly skeptical look, Bizet said, ¡°Kyle didn¡¯t tell me, but didn¡¯t I operate an intelligence guild? Ahahahaha!¡± ¡®No, can you say it out loud that you¡¯re from an intelligence guild? ¡­Wasn¡¯t it a family secret?¡¯ I could feel a gentle madness from Bizet¡¯s cool smile. I was really glad that everyone was wearing masks and hiding their identities. And that they didn¡¯t seem to be interested in the bomb-like declaration. Apparently, Bayonaire did not only have . It was clear that there was something like an informant of a persistent prospective father-in-law. ¡°Annette, I¡¯m not using the wish coupon, but I have a small wish.¡± ¡°¡­Tell me!¡± Wouldn¡¯t it be possible to make a small wish come true? I listened attentively. Then, Bizet whispered in my ear (but the voice was clearly audible even to Kyle). ¡°Even if you don¡¯t choose my son, can you still make me your ¡®father-in-law¡¯?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± What did he just say? H-How does that work? ¡°It pisses me off to think that some other guy is going to become your ¡®father-in-law¡¯ for free, without even trying.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?!¡± Usually, it¡¯s normal for a father-in-law to get that title for free when his son gets married! ¡®You¡¯re an obsessive maniac regarding the title of ¡®father-in-law¡¯.¡¯ He continued speaking, his innocent eyes widening ferociously. ¡°If I remove all the other ¡®father-in-law¡¯ candidates, yes, it could end up being me.¡± ¡®I-It can¡¯t be, right?!¡¯ Once again, usually¡­ one wouldn¡¯t plan to assassinate their ¡®rival¡¯ father-in-law, but try to get his own son married. It was evident that Kyle¡¯s madness in presenting me a pet slave prison was inherited from his father. ¡°¡­Father, please.¡± Kyle rubbed his forehead with a flushed face, mumbling shamefully (he was definitely going to turn around). ¡°Oh, it¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen Annette. I¡¯m so happy that I¡¯m a little excited.¡± The guy who was a ¡®little excited¡¯ was planning the assassination of other father-in-law candidates¡­ I was afraid of what would happen if he got ¡®too excited¡¯. Bizet returned with his usual good-natured and harmless look and smiled. ¡°Annette, I¡¯m just saying.¡± ¡®I don¡¯t think he meant it.¡¯ His hand popped out in front of my quivering pupils. ¡°Will you dance with me next?¡± Whoa. Thank god. Finally, it was a request I could grant. Happily, I smiled and took his hand. ¡°Of course, Marquis.¡± ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ After Annette and Bizet danced together, Kyle barely managed to let her leave. He was satisfied with preventing the situation of dancing together twice or three times according to Bizet¡¯s greed. He couldn¡¯t stop his father from talking about being a father-in-law and daughter-in-law¡­ ¡®You shouldn¡¯t feel pressured.¡¯ Kyle turned his gaze to follow her, who had disappeared into the crowd of masks. He missed her already even though it was just a brief parting. However, the entire banquet hall was splendid and full of lights, so Annette could not be seen. She was a woman who always made him like a free, but sad butterfly. Occasionally, he felt like a fool, hovering around her with a single white flower. But today¡­ ¡°The correct answer is ¡®Kyle¡¯.¡± ¡®She recognized me.¡¯ It felt like he had finally received a small reward for the love he had been sending one-sidedly. His heart felt as red and sweet as a ripe apple in the autumn sun. Even his breathing was invigorating, as if he had taken his first breath in a fine dawn. ¡°Why are you absentmindedly blushing alone? Kyle.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Kyle raised his back a little and turned to look at his father as he put his hand on his shoulder. With a slightly sullen face, as if his inner feelings were discovered. ¡°¡­Did my face turn red?¡± ¡°Son, even from 100 meters away, you had a pitiful face of unrequited love.¡± Bizet shook his head. ¡°Judging from the atmosphere, Annette hasn¡¯t responded to your proposal yet.¡± ¡°That¡­¡± Keuk keuk. After clenching his first, raising it to his lips, and coughing once, Kyle threw his gaze into the crowd with an upright, noble posture. ¡°I¡¯m working on it.¡± His eyes kept looking for Annette, and he continued. ¡°She will need time.¡± ¡°Well, is that so?¡± At Bizet¡¯s words, Kyle then turned his gaze to his father. ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡± ¡°Love is pretty unfair.¡± Bizet¡¯s lips curled up. Thinking of the simple yet beautiful woman who gave his son hair like a wheat field. Marielle, the wife he loved most passionately until she passed away due to her illness. The love he had with her was the only romantic love in his life, but because of the density of love, he knew the feeling quite well. ¨DThat sweet feeling, And how cruel it was sometimes. ¡°¡®Unfair¡¯ means that it is never proportional to ¡®time¡¯ and ¡®effort¡¯. Kyle.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Even if you love someone for the rest of your life, there is no guarantee that their heart will turn to you.¡± ¡°Father, Annette¡ª¡± Kyle opened her mouth in a small protest. ¡°She lost her mother not long ago. Besides, she just fell out with her brother, whom she trusted and cherished. She¡¯s not in a position to care about love.¡± ¡°Well, did you love in consideration of your situation, Son?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡ªOf course he didn¡¯t. Even when he spent the night on the battlefield infested with magical beasts, no matter what complications he faced, he never forgot Annette for a moment. It controlled him without any hesitation or consideration. That wretched, tenacious attraction of the heart. Bizet¡¯s calm eyes turned to his son. ¡°The cruel thing about love is that you just fall into it, no matter the situation or circumstances.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why your whole life is shaken up.¡± It was a reference to his son, whose life was shaken up by Annette. Of course, it happened for him, and perhaps it was happening to Annette now. A strong emotion that could never be suppressed by fear or reason. That was the reality of the love that Bizet experienced. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Kyle blinked as if feeling something. With a calm and cold face, Bizet¡¯s words continued. ¡°For her to still not have an answer for you, it doesn¡¯t seem like a positive sign by any means.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Kyle quietly shook his head. His lips were closed and unconsciously bitten, as if he had forgotten how to speak for a moment. Actually, maybe, deep down in his heart, he knew it, but he was trying to ignore it. Bizet was simply pointing out the truth. ¡°You can¡¯t just be faithful to your feelings. What matters is her heart.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡®¡­Her heart.¡¯ He knew. The most important thing was Annette¡¯s heart. No matter how passionately he loved her alone, love was originally for two. ¡°Don¡¯t just love by yourself, but love for Annette, Son.¡± Bizet put his hand on the shoulder of his son, who had grown up to be a handsome young man just like himself, and taught him. Just like his predecessor did to him. ¡°Because that¡¯s the way Winston men love.¡± Ame: Thanks for tuning in to Bizet¡¯s ted talk! This chapter really pricks my heart regarding my own love life ahahaha¡­ I really appreciate the way the author writes about Kyle¡¯s realization and acceptance that Annette doesn¡¯t love him in the way he wishes. In many novels, the 2nd/3rd ML that is the ¡®sweet¡¯ character type like Kyle just gets the ¡®Oh no¡­ she doesn¡¯t love me¡­ and now, promptly fades into the background¡¯ treatment. Tassie: Poor Kyle ;-; the whole time I had that one line from The One That Got Away by Katy Perry repeating lol. ¡°In another life~~~~~¡± + to add on what Ame said, even if 2nd Ml¡¯s have the realisation that she may not love him the way that he wants her to, some of them don¡¯t even take her feelings into consideration. From what we can see so far, Kyle would definitely choose her happiness over his own so that makes him all the more pitiful ;-; CH 138 ¡®¡­Love for her.¡¯ His father was teaching him not to love only for himself, but to love for Annette. Those words planted a small realization in Kyle¡¯s burning heart. Kyle knew why his father said that. The love that comes from the desire to touch, to be by, and to be with the other person could easily become selfish. It must have meant to guard against it. For Kyle, who had devoted all of his life to loving her, he wanted to try that too. He wanted to let his love be entirely for her. Rather than his own well-being or feelings, he would always put her first. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Kwa-hwak. The fists under the sleeves were clenched straight. When he made his decision, his heart swelled. Suddenly, a new dance began, and people started dancing, swaying and twirling, holding each other under the dazzling light. Kyle¡¯s gaze was only looking for Annette in the crowd. ¡®Where are you?¡¯ ¡®You¡­¡¯ ¡®Where will you be?¡¯ ¡®And your heart now.¡¯ ¡°You can¡¯t just rely on your feelings. What matters is her heart.¡± A new question arose today for Kyle, who had been passionately in love alone and was immersed in waiting for her. It seemed that he would keep chasing until the question was solved. The trace of a woman who shines the brightest in that halo. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡®Heinrich, where the hell did you go?¡¯ I had been looking for Heinrich ever since I parted from Bizet. The purple eyes that looked at me through the mask were clearly etched in my mind. Those eyes caught in my heart like a hook, making it sway over and over. ¡®Why do you look at me with those eyes and make me look for you, Heinri.¡¯ That gaze was like¡­ ¡­Like someone who would soon be ruined. Weak, lifeless eyes. ¡°Ah.¡± Just then, while I was frantically searching for Heinrich, someone bumped into me. The other person bumped into me first, but I showed a polite reaction like an extremely noble person. ¡°Excuse me.¡± It was a man in a red mask. The eyes inside were clouded like sulfur. ¡°¡­Oh, a sweet bird flew to me. Are you doing this to be held in my arms?¡± What kind of bullshit?! This was extremely greasy and annoying. But tonight was a romantic night where one could anonymously look for a lover to hang out with, so I decided to show my humanity and forgive that guy once. ¡°It was just an accidental bump. Well, have a good time.¡± ¡°Wait a moment.¡± Pwakak, the rude man grabbed my wrist and I automatically frowned. He held it so tightly that my wrists tingled. He said with a smirk. ¡°If I can¡¯t even notice a lady trying to bounce off and just let her go, then I wouldn¡¯t be a healthy man, would I?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I want to entertain you tonight, Lady.¡± I looked at him expressionlessly and flicked my wrist, pulling it back to my side. My strength, which I had trained for a long time in the bakery, was very strong. ¡°¡­¡­?!¡± Like a newborn deer, the man lost his balance and staggered. I looked at him with a cold face and muttered. ¡°You can¡¯t please any woman with that fragile body, so get rid of your illusions, Sir.¡± Then I smiled brightly in response to his bewildered face. ¡°Please just go away.¡± ¡®Before I burn all the hair on your head.¡¯ If I borrow the power of Um, I think I could even burn the root of his hair. It was at that time when I was seriously considering whether or not to curse this man of baldness for the peaceful enjoyment of the women who participated in today¡¯s banquet. ¡®Something¡¯ slammed into the man¡¯s back as he stepped forward in shock. It was another tall man, one head taller than the pesky jerk, and one who seemed as strong as a huge fortress wall. Black hair as if it would absorb the light of the whole world and engulf it in black. His black mask hid a handsome face, but did not hide a sharp and masculine jawline. Those red eyes inside¡ª They were chillingly cold, and were stuck on one spot. The impudent hand holding my wrist. ¡°¡­¡­!!! S-S-Sorry!¡± At that moment, the annoying man seemed to have realized. Who was the person he bumped into? ¡°P-Please spare me, Y-Your Highness the Crown Prince.¡± ¡®You¡¯re wearing a mask, but it doesn¡¯t cover anything at all, Sisl.¡¯ ¡®¡­It¡¯s too Sislin?!¡¯ There was no point in wearing a mask like this. In the first place, there was only one man with such a physique, so he stood out even in the crowd. But more than that, the man was begging for his life though Sislin didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡ªAh, seeing Sislin¡¯s eyes made me understand. ¡°I was very rude! Duchess Valienne.¡± The man also bowed down to me and apologized. Just by seeing Sislin¡¯s reaction, he guessed who I was. ¡®How did the rumors of Sisl and I spread in the empire?¡¯ I couldn¡¯t guess, but it was certain that new rumors would spread. Something like, ¡®I grabbed her wrist and the crown prince had eyes that looked as if he was going to kill me.¡¯ The red eyes, which were slightly out of focus, were looking at the man as if glancing down at a bug. It was so insignificant that it seemed like he was intent on killing him by just squeezing him with his thumb. I thought there was going to be bloodshed in the banquet hall, so I stepped forward. ¡°I¡¯ll forgive you, leave the banquet hall and don¡¯t flirt like that again.¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± ¡°Just go.¡± As the Goddess of Salvation said, the man shook his head vigorously and disappeared at the speed of light. ¡®Whew.¡¯ I saved a person. ¡°Can I have the next dance with Mr. Anonymous Black Mask?¡± I held out my hand first. Asking for a dance was practically something a lady rarely did. But actually, if there was a gentleman the lady wanted, there was nothing stopping her from expressing it. Especially on a secretive day like tonight. Sislin briefly glanced at his aide, Owin, who stood a few steps behind. Owin nodded and disappeared from his spot like the wind, chasing after the man before. Unlike Duchess Annette, he was well aware that his master had no such thing as ¡®forgiveness¡¯. Especially for things regarding her. Annette occupied the entirety of Sislin¡¯s priorities, and there was no compromise in protecting her. Of course, Annette didn¡¯t need to know what he was going to do. To her, who was very careful, Sislin hid his cruel side and showed only the sweetest thing as much as possible. It would probably be like that for the rest of his life. A little deceitful, pretentious, but at the same time, afraid that she would be afraid of him; that was his lifelong thirst for her heart. ¡°You chose me tonight.¡± He took her little hand and willingly bent his broad back like a beast; the voice whispering in her ear was sweet. I felt my face heat up. Even if others said the same thing, what this man did always felt different. ¡°¡­Not if I choose to dance once.¡± The lips under the black mask rose nicely. ¡°Please choose me if I¡¯m good at dancing. Lady.¡± In line with the concept of the night, the gentler-than-usual respectful words made the mood strange. My heart was itchy. He embraced my thin waist with hands as large and rough as the paws of a beast. Those hands were strong enough to crush if he applied strength. The whispers in my ear were like from a provocative slave in a posture of obedience. ¡°You can check out what else I can do well.¡± Thanks to the design of the dress, the fine man¡¯s hot fingers swept my back delicately, as if engraving his fingerprints. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± My heart raced. But it wasn¡¯t because I felt fear like before. The fear dissipated, and the pounding of the heart suddenly turned into a strong attraction and affection for him. A person who held his heart out, always showing me how unwavering it was. My strong fence. A person who overcame a lot of pain, crawled to me, and hugged me tenderly. The words of ¡®I love you¡¯, he was someone who tells me how he really feels. ¡®I like him.¡¯ We hugged each other and danced. Until everything in the noisy and crowded banquet hall was erased, and only the two of us were left. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ The last waltz was very long. More than enough for Kyle to find Annette. ¡°Ann¡­¡± As he was about to ask her for the last dance, Kyle found a man standing next to her. It was Sislin. Annette asked Sislin for a final dance, and the two soon began to dance affectionately. Kyle¡¯s eyes followed Annette. A sweet smile. The way her cheeks blushed shyly. Those eyes filled with affection¡­ Kyle had been around Annette all her life, seeing her many expressions, but it was the first time he had seen such a face. At that moment, he could clearly tell. ¡ªWhere is her heart headed now? ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Kyle, who had always watched her carefully and alertly, eventually realized her love before Annette herself. Ame: :¡±) Kyle is an absolute sweetheart. His reaction contrasted soooo much with Heinrich¡¯s, but y¡¯know, one got parental love and guidance, the other didn¡¯t¡­ And Sislin my boy, you might have gotten the girl, but it¡¯s about time you deliver some amazing and sweet/sexy scenes like in volume 1!!! Tassie: ANNETTE FINALLY STOPPED BEING IN DENIAL!!!!!!! IT TOOK 138 CHAPTERS BUT WE FINALLY GOT HERE!!!! Poor Kyle, one of the best ML¡¯s I¡¯ve ever seen but unfortunately Annette isn¡¯t your FL ;-; I really hope this author gives everyone a happy ending ;-; Every time Sislin is here, I feel like the temperature just goes higher #godwhenisitmyturn CH 139 When was it? That her mind went somewhere else. He had been following the beautiful woman as if embracing her light, yet he did not know when the stream of her emotions flowed in that direction. This was a rather cruel moment for Kyle. Ironically, her rosy cheeks, dancing under the halo, looked livelier and happier than ever. Like an asteroid surely shining in the distant sky. Forever, like a star that would never reach his hand. ¡°Annette¡­¡± He did his best. Twice in this life, he had a love he would never have again. But he knew now that he wasn¡¯t the one she wanted her last dance with. His heart throbbed, but the love he had was not broken. His heart tightened fondly, but he wasn¡¯t sad enough to cry. At least, she was happy. Kyle eventually turned around and left the banquet hall before the waltz was over. ¨DJust like that, this hot eve was coming to an end. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ We kissed for a long time on the balcony in the moonlight. Sislin, ignoring the fact that the banquet was still taking place in the hall, secretly led me to the empty balcony. ¡°Come closer.¡± My heart throbbed as if I was doing something bad, but the kiss was sweeter than ever. Many times I felt suffocated and like a crisis came, but Sislin did not let me go. ¡°Sisl¡­¡± Gradually, my face turned red all over and I couldn¡¯t take it any longer, but it was only when I stretched out into his arms, breathing hard, that his lips moved toward my cheek. I eventually burst into a small laugh when the kisses continued on the cheeks, on the lower eyelids, and on the bridge of the nose; they were very ticklish. It was only now that I felt how passionate the love was in each kiss. I whispered softly. ¡°¡­My face will be worn out, Sisl.¡± The wind blew through his fine hair. The weather was cool and my dress was thin, but I wasn¡¯t cold at all in Sislin¡¯s arms. It was warm and comfortable. But there were times when I was very embarrassed to be held in his arms. As I suddenly remembered, I looked up, removing my face from his chest, and asked. ¡°Remember? When you proposed to me. After being chased by pursuers, you rescued me from falling off a cliff, and suddenly asked me to marry you.¡± That moment was bewildering, but the warmth that somehow crept into my heart was still vivid. I was crying, covered in dirt and grass, and he proposed to me, wiping away my tears. Rather than the fact that I almost died, more than the fact that he saved my life, I remembered being shocked and dazed that this man proposed marriage in such a situation. ¡®I¡¯m just thinking¡­ It will probably become a memory that will last a lifetime.¡¯ He smiled lightly at my question and answered in his characteristic low voice. ¡°Of course I will remember it for the rest of my life, Annette.¡± Perhaps Sislin will live with the same memories as me. Stroking my back with a large hand to keep it from getting cold, he asked, ¡°Back then, what did you think when you heard my proposal?¡± ¡®Ugh, I can answer it without hesitation.¡¯ ¡°I thought you were crazy¡­!¡± He let out a low laugh. The cheeks that were diagonally above his sharp chin slightly rose in an attractive way. I really liked this moment when his red eyes contained me. ¡°What were you thinking? When you proposed to me.¡± I had been curious about that. ¡°The thought that I won¡¯t be taken away?¡± Perhaps it had to do with the reason he tied his heart to my wrist. I asked, citing what I thought was probably closest to Sislin¡¯s desire. ¡®You think you can¡¯t lose me, right?¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Sislin gazed down at Annette and wrapped a large hand around her small cheek. Then he looked back on the times he lived. It was in a dark cave that he found relief for the first time after living a difficult life, thrown out of the world alone. In that peace that he met for the first time in his life, The boy prayed to God. ¡°Let me die.¡± ¡®In this little peace, I dare ask you to take away this life.¡¯ ¡°Please let me die.¡± Other than that, the little 11-year-old boy didn¡¯t know what to do with this miserable life. There was no peace in the Forest, where he had escaped to after being treated like a dog or a pig at the slave trade, and like in this dark cave, the boy¡¯s life did not have even a single ray of light. ¡­The only way to end this pain is to die. Then one day he met her. ¡°Hi?¡± A ray of brilliant light shone on his dark and miserable life. She was a girl sent by God instead of death. ¡°Later, you will become a better and higher person than anyone else.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I believe so.¡± The boy no longer begged for death. The girl¡¯s words became the gospel that the boy would inscribe in his heart and live by. ¡°¡­You will be a good, high-ranking person.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°More than anyone else.¡± Even if she left like a butterfly in his arms, he couldn¡¯t even hate or resent her. In the eons of time in the Crevasse, where his whole body was torn to shreds and bones were broken, Sislin no longer prayed to God. Instead, he made promises to the girl. ¡°I¡¯ll go and meet you.¡± ¡®Just as you saved my life, I can be something for you.¡¯ ¡®I will meet you again by becoming a higher and better person than anyone else.¡¯ He was able to keep his promise only after he had gone through several times where death would have been better and his body could not even live without drugs. It was not because of his own desire that he, who had lived such a life, proposed marriage to her. To the question of what he was thinking when he proposed to her, Sislin finally answered. ¡°I want to be part of your family.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± What an orphan girl secretly dreamed of. She lived among the warm people, but no one could give it to her. Sislin knew what she really wanted was a family. ¡°My arms, Annette¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I want it to be as solid as your house.¡± ¡®I want to be your family and home.¡¯ ¡®You, who was born lonely and weak in a wide world, and who was always working hard. You, who have never had a real home for yourself.¡¯ No need to leave again, no need to run away¡­ ¡®I want to be your perfect home.¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Sislin hugged Annette tightly in his own arms. ¡®I will keep misfortunes out of your life without error.¡¯ ¡®Even if I have to take them all.¡¯ ¡°¡­Sislin.¡± Annette wrapped her arms around his tight ones and buried her head further into his arms. It was warm and safe. Her heart, which had lived in a frantic chase, was now at ease with him. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°Sisl, we have to part for a while. Love is broken when an anonymous man and woman are together before midnight.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a superstition, Annette.¡± ¡°I tend to believe in superstitions, Your Highness.¡± As I said that, I pushed Sislin, who didn¡¯t want to let go. ¡°Please find me when the midnight fireworks start.¡± It was just a small prank between lovers, but I also wanted to make sure that there were no minor flaws on this perfect night. Throughout the banquet hall, men and women were seen parting with each other, promising to reunite at midnight. Everyone had an expression of disappointment on their faces, but each of them knew it would be even more exciting to meet again. During this time, I wandered around the banquet hall looking for people I knew. Everyone was smiling and chatting in the soft violin melody. ¡®¡­Is Heinrich smiling too?¡¯ Probably not. Like a thorn that jumped out of nowhere and stabbed me, I kept thinking of those cold eyes. ¡®Let¡¯s calm down.¡¯ I took a sip of champagne and briefly greeted the woman who recognized me despite the mask. Then I waited quietly for midnight. It would finally be midnight, one minute more. The people checked their watches and all headed to the balcony. Fireworks would be launched from the garden of the Imperial Palace. ¡®I should hurry up and go too.¡¯ It was when everyone was heading to the balcony with excited faces. I sensed a strange aura. ¡°Heu, heu¡­ hik¡­¡± A strange man was at a spot not far away. He was wearing a mask of a mole adorned with jewels, drooling under his mouth. ¡®Did he drink too much?¡¯ It was when I felt uncomfortable and decided to avoid the person. ¡°Hik¡­!¡± The man¡¯s gaze was fixed on me. At that moment, I realized. ¡­It was not alcohol. I could tell from those eyes. ¡®He¡¯s under a spell!¡¯ Gerard! He deliberately aimed at me when people¡¯s eyes were on something else. Just then, the man rushed at me, his eyes turning white. The sharp dagger he was holding flashed. ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± In just one second, I made an instant judgment. ¡®Let¡¯s use Sordi¡¯s power¡­!¡¯ No one knew, but the power of Exordium has grown so much that it could protect me from such threats. Besides, everyone¡¯s eyes were on the balcony, so if I finished him in oneshot, no one would witness my power. Right when the light gathered in my hands¡­ Swish! All of a sudden, a man appeared, obscuring my view. Brilliant silver hair that looked like it was made of moonlight. Vivid purple eyes. There was a magic ball in Heinrich¡¯s hand that could not be fired. It was clear that the body flew out first because the mind judged that it was more urgent than casting a spell. ¨DPoo-wook! Then came a chilling sound; the eyes of Heinrich widened as he hugged me, and his lips trembled. My heart sank. Heinrich¡¯s lips barely parted And what flowed out was a painfully fading voice. ¡°Sister¡­¡± Dark red blood flowed from his rosy lips that were unable to finish his words. The eyes I loved lost their light, and he collapsed completely. ¡°Heinrich¡­!!!¡± Ame: a few things to unpack Tassie: IT¡¯S OFFICIALLLLLLLL!!! THEY¡¯RE TOGETHER!! *CUE HAPPY DANCE* I¡¯M LITERALLY SO HAPPYYYYY!!! I literally knew something was gonna happen tho lol we can never have any nice things XD CH 140 The world was spinning. Red blood, the collapsing body of Heinrich, and finally, the colorful flames that shot up into the black sky. All of them were crushed together and imprinting into my eyes like a dizzying palette. I hugged the man who had fallen. ¡°Heinri!¡± Blood, too much blood¡­ There was too much blood from his mouth and from his side. I groaned and covered the side of Heinrich, where blood was flowing, with my hand. Cruelly, people had no idea what was going on here. At the moment of this spectacular fireworks display, only Heinrich and I were crying. ¡ªHelp, please, there¡¯s a guy who¡¯s fallen. I shouted, but my efforts were buried by the cheers of people watching the fireworks. It was then. ¡°Annette.¡± Shoe-covered feet stood in front of the pool of blood. Sislin wrapped his arms around my shoulders and looked at me first. ¡°Sisl, Heinri¡­!¡± After confirming that I was not injured, Sislin immediately picked Heinrich up, carrying him. When I saw Heinrich drooping in Sislin¡¯s arms, I stood up. I felt a momentary awakening. After panicking like this, the thought of losing Heinrich came to mind, and then the veil that covered my eyes was lifted, making my mind terribly clear. My beautiful dress and Heinrich¡¯s clothes were all covered in blood. ¡°Duchess!¡± ¡°Victoria, call the doctor and arrest him!¡± I pointed to the criminal whose eyes were rolling uncontrollably after having lost the dagger. Victoria wasn¡¯t the only one who heard the order. Beside her was Owin, the aide who followed his master like a shadow. While the Imperial Guards, who were waiting outside the banquet hall with Owin, rushed in, Sislin and I left the banquet hall without delay. Meanwhile, there was a man watching this situation without exception. Gerard¡¯s lips were squashed and bitten. A scream erupted from right next to him. ¡°Ahhhhhhhh!¡± When the cheers of the fireworks were over, the nobles belatedly noticed the commotion and understood the situation. ¡°What a terrible thing!¡± ¡°¡­Whose blood is this? Was Duchess Valienne injured?¡± ¡®It should¡¯ve been.¡¯ ¡®It should¡¯ve been that bitch bleeding!¡¯ ¡°I heard it¡¯s the blood of Grand Duke Hyacinth. It looks like he was stabbed deep enough for his life to be at risk.¡± Gerard couldn¡¯t understand why the grand duke would risk his life to jump in and cover that girl. ¡°Shit¡­!¡± In the end, Gerard clenched his fists and cursed; it didn¡¯t end in his victory. The nobles around looked at Gerard with surprised expressions, but his mind was so heated up that he could not even manage his usual image. Wasn¡¯t today¡¯s plan perfect? Gerard was convinced of today¡¯s victory when he smeared Belsac Valentino¡¯s poison on the sharpened dagger. He smiled when he cast a spell on a drunk nobleman and made him attack Annette. Wasn¡¯t even the timing perfect? It was a time when everyone wore masks and enjoyed fireworks, so no one would know if there was a commotion. Even Sislin wouldn¡¯t be able to stop it. Because the moment of the attack would only be 1 second, it¡¯s enough! How refreshing it would be to see the face of Sislin, the frustration he would have because he couldn¡¯t protect that bitch in the midst of a commotion! So instead of poisoning Annette, he conjured the drunkard to stab her, just like last time. It was a choice that originated from a dreadful mind that wanted Sislin to feel the same pain of failure and frustration. Although it ran into a huge variable called Heinrich. ¡®Is he crazy? He must have been out of his mind!¡¯ Gerard trembled and looked down at the pool of blood. The owner of the blood was chosen! Then a lady spoke to him. ¡°¡­Prince, are you okay? You¡¯re shaking too much.¡± ¡°Move!!!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The lady¡¯s eyes widened at the prince¡¯s unexpected action of pushing her roughly. It was very different from his external image. Gerard was not even aware of it. With wild steps, he went out of the banquet hall. The air filled with the pungent smell of gunpowder filled his lungs suffocatingly. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°It¡¯s strange. His face looked like he was poisoned, but there are no traces of poison in his body.¡± I looked at Heinrich. The face that always looked at me and smiled was like a corpse, pale and still. The Heinrich like that was unrealistic, it felt like he was just dreaming. I had already brought doctors, priests who use divine power, and wizards who were good with magic potions¡­ Everyone said they didn¡¯t know the exact reason. However, the doctor had said¡ª There was some bleeding, but it wasn¡¯t that there was enough bleeding that he couldn¡¯t come to his senses while lying down. Perhaps, it¡¯s like a ¡®poison¡¯. ¡°There is now one person who is unconscious with the same symptoms as Grand Duke Hyacinth. His face looked exactly like that, and the symptoms are the same.¡± ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the former magic tower lord.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The moment I heard those words, I knew who the owner of this poison was. ¡®Heinrich¡¯s father, Belsac Valentino!¡¯ In the second half of the original work, he created a ¡®paralysis poison¡¯ to put the magic tower lord to sleep as he wanted the position. It was not an important chapter at all in the original story, and I didn¡¯t care because it was impossible to pinpoint the timing and unstoppable. Since the original and the present reality were already too far apart. ¡®Belsac¡¯s poison¡­ and Gerard.¡¯ The two were holding hands. The purpose was me, but it was Heinrich who was poisoned while trying to save me. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I reached out and stroked Heinrich¡¯s cheek. ¡°¡­This is so pitiful.¡± Abandoned by his father when he was still in his mother¡¯s womb, forced to lead a miserable life, and now even his father¡¯s poison was trying to kill him¡­ ¡®If there is a God¡­¡¯ It shouldn¡¯t be like this. ¡®Fate is so cruel only to Heinri.¡¯ ¡°Duchess, for some reason, he was poisoned while already weakened¡­ If he doesn¡¯t wake up, he¡¯ll die like this.¡± ¡®If you die like this, I can¡¯t live either.¡¯ ¡®Heinri.¡¯ With trembling hands, I gently caressed his eyelids. I wasn¡¯t sure I would ever see the purple eyes of the boy I loved again. Those eyes were always arrogant, but beautiful, and the voice that called me playfully¡­ A boy who was abandoned and crooked, but actually had a softer and purer heart than anyone else. My Heinri, who could not take even a single step from the place I left behind. ¡°¡­Sorry.¡± Looking at Heinrich¡¯s fingers and body that had dried up in a few days, I couldn¡¯t breathe and cried. ¡®I¡¯m really sorry.¡¯ I should have understood him more. ¡®I¡¯m the only one who knows you entirely, Heinri. I made you like this even though I knew it all.¡¯ Knowing what our last conversation meant to Heinrich, that scene came to mind like a stinging wound. Those words that Heinrich spit out while trembling to the point of being pathetic. ¡°If you don¡¯t love me the most, I¡¯d rather you hate me the most¡­¡± Even though he was hurt by my words, even though he was desperate, he couldn¡¯t stop. ¡°I¡¯d rather you hate me.¡± I should have hugged him then. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that, Heinrich.¡± Hot tears ran down my cheeks. I cradled Heinrich¡¯s hand with both of mine. His body temperature was terribly cold. No matter how long I held his cold hand, even if my tears wet the back of his hand, I was afraid that the warm body temperature would not return. It seemed like he was getting farther away ¡°Heinrich, I can¡¯t forgive you.¡± ¡®To you¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have been so harsh.¡¯ I remembered myself turning around coldly, so I bit my lip in regret, closing my eyes. Even when I closed my eyes, I remembered vividly. That day, how lonely Heinrich was. ¡°Heinrich.¡± Please wake up. ¡°Please just get up¡­ That shouldn¡¯t be the last conversation we had.¡± ¡®How am I supposed to live like this? My heart aches, even if I die, I will cry while beating my chest.¡¯ ¡°Please. Wake up.¡± All I could do was pray to God. I stayed up all night, neither eating nor sleeping, just watching Heinrich. I prayed earnestly. Only the moonlight quietly shone through the windows, and the night flowed, harshly like shattering bones. CH 141 ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ In the residence of the Marquisate of Winston. As it was the day of the regular meeting, was gathered and noisy, though some were watching Kyle. Whispers flowed. ¡°The master¡¯s face is withered like a pulled cabbage.¡± When Number 19 said so, Chubby, who was next to him eating strawberry jam streusel bread (which was baked by Number 19 who discovered his knack for baking), replied, ¡°I think something happened at the banquet hall yesterday¡­ Could it be that he couldn¡¯t find Miss Annette because she wore a mask?¡± Number 19 shook his head. ¡°If it was our master, wouldn¡¯t he be able to find out who Miss Annette was among the crowd, even if 100 people were lined up and covered in a sackcloth from head to toe?¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s right.¡± Chubby, who ate all the bread in an instant, one-shotted a bottle of milk, and added, ¡°But Number 19, your baking skills are really improving day by day.¡± Number 19 rubbed his nose like how Annette usually did and said proudly. ¡°The sales of are also maintained. Now, we are even doing marketing in other regions!¡± ¡°Oho.¡± ¡°There are plans to open a second .¡± ¡°Choose El Dorado, please! Then I can buy bread and eat it even in the capital!¡± At that moment, a vicious-looking man stepped over and was as excited as if he had found a diamond mine. ¡°Oh, if only I could¡­! If that huge cream puff landed in El Dorado!!!¡± By the time Number 19, Chubby, and a few more men were heated up at the story, there was still a group of people interested in Kyle. One of those men asked quietly. ¡°¡­Master, has your proposal been rejected?¡± Next to him, One-eye responded in equal softness. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°Our lively master became so limp, didn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be ¡®just¡¯ for that reason.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Words of the marriage proposal being rejected were uttered, One-eye dismissed it as ¡®just a thing¡¯, making the man look at him in shock. One-eyed rolled one eye and carefully observed Kyle. ¡°Even if the proposal had been rejected, it would have not changed. Master, that is.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°He would have planned for the future without being too disappointed, to still be by the side of Miss Annette.¡± Still, their master was a man of tenacity. No, it might have nothing to do with his tenacity. He simply loved her that much. Also, he was a man accustomed to waiting. ¡°¡­So, if we think of it like that, does it mean that something more happened?¡± ¡°Perhaps it is.¡± One-eye mumbled as he touched his chin. ¡°¡­Did he realize that waiting won¡¯t solve it¡­¡± If that¡¯s the case, even the ¡®professional crush¡¯, whose main specialty was waiting, couldn¡¯t help but be upset. Even after hearing that Grand Duke Hyacinth was injured due to an attack at the banquet, the master only confirmed that Annette was safe. He did not visit her. Normally, the master would have dropped everything and ran over. ¡®I¡¯m sure he¡¯s having a tough time right now. It¡¯s the love of a lifetime.¡¯ At that time, the face of Number 19 popped out as if he had been listening to the story. ¡°Then will stop for the time being.¡± ¡°Huh, oh my gosh!¡± The vicious-looking man that was talking to One-eye swept his chest in amazement and surprise (not just because it suddenly popped out, he was surprised by how ugly the face that popped out was). One-eye said sternly. ¡°Maybe. Today¡¯s regular meeting will be over¡­ It will be difficult for him to take care of us for a while.¡± It was then. Kyle, who had been immersed in quiet contemplation alone, stood up without hearing what the shields were talking about. Breaking expectations, Kyle said, ¡°Everyone, stand up. Let¡¯s start the regular meeting.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The men¡¯s eyes twinkled. Their master seemed to be a much stronger and more solid man than they thought. ¡°Yes!¡± They responded loudly. Today, their great respect for their master has grown a little more. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°Ahhhhhhhh!¡± In the dungeon of the Imperial Palace, there was the sound of piercing screams. The person who targeted Annette was Baron Birosetsu, a man who had a crush on Annette¡¯s mother, the previous Duchess of Valienne. In the past, they fought in the bid to obtain the rights to develop the mines in the Eastern Continent. Soon after winning development rights, the duchess collapsed. Even after the duchess collapsed, he had ambitions to devour her businesses. He was also one of the strong supporters of Gerard von Axelferion. When he was initially arrested and imprisoned, all he said was ¡°Ahahahaha!¡± He just laughed. But he came back to his senses just three minutes after Sislin entered the dungeon. Because Sislin ¡®forced¡¯ him to come to his senses. Sislin¡¯s black gloves were all bloodied, and the baron was almost in rags. Tired of torment, the baron finally pleaded and cried. ¡°I, I will tell you everything! Please, please stop¡­ He-Help me.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡± Red eyes stared at the baron indifferently. From the moment he targeted Annette, he could not be treated as a human being. Sislin slowly made eye contact with the bound baron. Thick red blood dripped down from the iron tool he was holding. ¡°Keep your mouth shut.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± He was enjoying it. ¡®You crazy bastard, you¡¯re enjoying this.¡¯ ¡®Hitting me like mincing pork, he¡¯s totally enjoying this.¡¯ Feeling terrified, the baron was completely overwhelmed and cried out, his limbs shaking. ¡°It was all ordered by Prince Gerard! He said all I had to do was take the dagger he gave me and go to the banquet¡­ I suddenly went crazy!¡± Sislin asked quietly. ¡°What did Prince Gerard say? What will happen if you bring the dagger to the banquet?¡± His voice, steady and low, was cold, but there was hope in that he was asking questions. ¡®He¡¯s not telling me to shut my mouth.¡¯ The baron knew it was normal to torture people to open their mouths, but common sense didn¡¯t work for this madman. As if he was happy with the question itself, the baron confided. ¡°He told me that if I bring the dagger to a certain man, he will stab Duchess Valienne with that dagger!¡± The baron was so obsessed with throwing up what he knew that he didn¡¯t even know what he was talking about. The baron did not notice the subtle changes occurring in Sislin¡¯s eyes for a mere moment. ¡°However, after meeting the prince¡¯s eyes at the banquet, things became strange. I was running towards her with the dagger as if I had become a puppet¡­!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°There must have been some kind of special magic casted on me!¡± The baron begged ¡°I am not guilty, Your Highness the Crown Prince. I am also a victim of being deceived by the prince!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m also a victim.¡± The baron looked genuinely sad. At that moment, when he couldn¡¯t tell the true thoughts of the extremely expressionless crown prince. ¡°Right.¡± At Sislin, indifferent reply, the face of the baron, who thought it had worked, light up. And that was the last expression he could make while he was alive. Swiik¡ª The blade moved resolutely. After a while. Owin politely asked Sislin, who had left the dungeon. ¡°How are you going to deal with it?¡± Sislin quietly took off his gloves as he walked quickly. The reason Gerard was kept alive was because it was more beneficial to keep him alive than to harm him because of his excellent external image. In addition, there was also respect for Annette¡¯s will, who wanted to reveal his sins and punish him according to the law. But now¡­ ¡°Looks like the time has come to slaughter the pigs.¡± The black gloves he threw out stuck to the floor. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ I forgot the flow of night and day. I forgot hunger and sleep, and just became numb. I sat, looking at Heinrich like a doll. ¡°Where are you?¡± I wondered where the consciousness of the boy had gone even though his body was with me. He left me here unilaterally. I wanted to see where he was wandering right now. I think I know it now. How Heinrich must have felt when I left him. ¡­He must have been so anxious. He must have been so terrified, thinking he would never see me again. What Heinrich did to keep me bound was obviously an irreversible decision, but the sentiment was¡­ It was only now that I completely understood the fear of losing someone again. ¡°That¡¯s probably why. Just because you¡¯re afraid you won¡¯t see me again.¡± ¡®Heinrich.¡¯ ¡®I should have understood you sooner rather than later and hugged you.¡¯ Repeating his name inwardly, I took his hand, and laid it on my forehead. I spent my time praying that I would like to see a smile just once more. I didn¡¯t know how much time had passed. ¡®Is it just me?¡¯ ¡­Heinrich¡¯s hands seemed to have gotten a little warmer. Did it get warm due to my body temperature? From me holding his cold hand too much? It was when I was looking at Heinrich with my eyes blinking in surprise. His silver eyelashes, which had not moved, shook and quivered. ¡°¡­Heinri?¡± Very slowly, Heinrich¡¯s eyes fluttered open. The beautiful purple eyes that I had been praying to see again quickly regained their focus and looked at me. Like a miracle. The dry lips were licked slowly. ¡°¡­Sister.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± For a moment, my throat was choked and my eyes were clouded. ¡®I thought I was losing you, Heinri.¡¯ Without thinking, I hugged him. Heinrich whispered in a voice that seemed to fade anytime, like a barely leaking breath. ¡°¡­Sorry.¡± After coming back alive from the brink of death, that was the first thing he wanted to say to her. The moment his consciousness was clouded when being stabbed by the dagger, it was the last thing he couldn¡¯t say to her. Which he regretted. He previously spoke of stupid things, like dying. But his sincerity was different. ¡°¡­I did something bad, I let you down¡­ Sorry.¡± ¡°No, Heinri. I always understand everything. Your everything¡ª¡± Heinrich¡¯s eyes shook. ¡®¡­Why didn¡¯t I know.¡¯ It was not just him who stayed in his childhood. The heart that truly cared for him was always there. She was always there. ¡°Then don¡¯t say you¡¯re sorry. You¡¯re back well.¡± The corners of Heinrich¡¯s eyes were also wet. I hugged him even tighter. ¡°It¡¯s really nice to have you back, Heinri¡­¡± Ame: I¡¯M OKAY AND NOT OKAY AT THE SAME TIME! Tassie: God I¡¯m so glad he¡¯s okay!!! CH 142 Heinrich and I held each other and cherished the moment we met again. And, after a while. After managing to control the intense emotions, I felt as if it was not worth letting go even though we were just right next to each other. ¡°Heinrich, because you were poisoned¡­ I really thought you couldn¡¯t get up anymore.¡± ¡°You said I was poisoned?¡± Heinrich had a slightly puzzled expression. ¡°Yes.¡± Actually, I spoke as if I had heard it from a doctor, but it¡¯s certainly a poison. That was a fact I could infer from reading the original. Heinrich fiddled with the buttons on his vest. ¡°If the poison had been within ten steps, the color of this button would have changed¡­ It must have been a special poison that left no trace, Sister.¡± ¨DIt was poison that even evaded magic tools. I was a little surprised. Right, the opponent was quite a skillful wizard. A person who used blood to create a poison that was so bad that it could not be traced could surely make something undetected even by magic tools. ¡®He would have wanted to be perfectly careful.¡¯ Still fiddling with the button, Heinrich said, ¡°But there was a strange smell.¡± ¡°Smell?¡± ¡°Yes, something like the fishy smell of blood¡­ Actually, I followed the smell first, not Sister.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Then I found some kind of crazy human with his eyes flipped inside out attacking you?¡± Heinrich, who had somehow become more mysteriously beautiful because of his paleness, frowned. ¡®Oh, that¡¯s right!¡¯ Clearly, the poison made by mixing the blood of the two families had no effect on their bloodline and the blood could be detected by smell. This was very convenient information to have. For example, among flowers that all had the same shape, you could quickly tell which one was poisonous. ¡®He¡¯s half-blooded, so it worked the same way.¡¯ The former magic tower lord stayed unconscious, so it was probably for that same reason Heinrich was able to get up again. The blood of ¡®Valentino¡¯ flowing through Heinrich¡¯s body must have saved him. ¡°But it¡¯s strange. How did I awaken when I¡¯m poisoned? I don¡¯t have poison tolerance. That¡¯s why I made this magic tool.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Besides, if it was poison that could not be detected even by magic tools, it would have been terrible.¡± ¡°¡­That.¡± Gulp¡ª I swallowed my saliva awkwardly. ¡®That¡¯s something I can¡¯t explain¡­!¡¯ ¡®This is the information I know from reading the original. And again, there is nothing good for you to know that you were poisoned by your biological father. You might get hurt¡­¡¯ ¡°Ah. I know.¡± At that moment, the purple eyes slowly narrowed. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± My heart thumped and fell. With an even more innocent appearance because he collapsed (it could only be seen as the main character¡¯s buff), Heinrich swept his hair and said, ¡°It happened because I¡¯m a ¡®genius¡¯.¡± ¡­What? I beg your pardon? Heinrich added with his beautiful and arrogant eyes twinkling. ¡°If it¡¯s not detected even by magic tools, it must be something with magical traits, so it doesn¡¯t work on this ¡®genius¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Aha, I¡¯ve overcome poison now¡ª¡± Heinrich looked at me secretly with a puppy-like expression hoping for a compliment. Ah, ah! ¡°Right! Heinri is really great~¡± ¡®Huhu, you cute idiot.¡¯ The chihuahua¡¯s shoulders rose as much as his self-esteem had risen. The puppy, who had been in high spirits for a long time, then muttered, ¡°That¡¯s right. But more than that, Sister¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Heinrich¡¯s face returned to one of seriousness. ¡°I actually saw a strange sight.¡± ¡°A strange sight?¡± ¡°The man made eye contact with Prince Gerard before attacking Sister¡­ From then on, all of a sudden, he was extremely agitated and crazy.¡± ¡°¡ªI know.¡± I answered calmly. ¡°Gerard must have cast a spell to control him.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Gerard is behind this.¡± I wanted perfect revenge on Gerard. Slowly, as much as my mother¡¯s frustration and as much as my sorrow, I wanted to strip him of everything. I wanted to remove the mask of ugly hypocrisy he had built up while doing a lot of bad deeds in front of everyone and inflict the punishment he deserved according to the imperial law. ¡®A man who destroys people¡¯s lives and does not hesitate to commit illegal acts in order to achieve his own goals¡­¡¯ In a different way than Gerard. I wanted to destroy him according to the perfectly right and proper procedure. ¡ªI thought it would be the way my mother wanted. And it was my way. ¡°I was waiting for the Great Temple to make the allegations true, but Gerard is committing evil at a faster rate than that.¡± I quietly rubbed my chin. If so, I couldn¡¯t give the other side more time. I need to change direction. At that moment, Heinrich¡¯s eyes shone cruelly. ¡°He is trying to touch Sister, so I won¡¯t let him live. I¡¯ll go ahead and kill him.¡± I grabbed my collar and shook my head. ¡°I don¡¯t want Gerrard to die easily.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°I want Gerard to lose everything and suffer.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Heinrich made a slightly surprised face. Obviously, it wasn¡¯t something I normally would say. But I meant it. ¡°Gerard will be moving again soon.¡± Since 10 years ago, I had firsthand experience of Gerard¡¯s ways. So now, I had reached a level where I could read his techniques. As if it was clear where he would move the next piece of chess. How did this opponent of mine play chess? Gerard has always been a cruel and mean player. ¡°Let¡¯s take precautions, Heinrich.¡± Heinrich tilted his head at my words. ¡°¡­What precautions?¡± ¡°Well.¡± I raised the corners of my mouth leisurely. Ironically, bad things were my specialty if I set my mind to them. ¡°¡­ A couple of ways are coming to mind?¡± How do I exterminate the big, evil rat that must be cornered by now? ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ The emperor¡¯s bedroom was almost a void. In the darkness, there sat a man with a mask covering his ugly distorted face. Gerard looked at the emperor lying still, and whispered lowly. ¡°Father¡­¡± The emperor was like a plant that grew out of a rock crevice. Although his life was sustained with intense vitality, he was virtually incapable of doing anything like a plant. Inside the silts of the mask, Gerard¡¯s red eyes glowed quietly in the darkness. ¡°My father believed in me, who is lowly.¡± When the empress chased Gerard away, screaming ¡®That child is not mine!¡¯ His father comforted the empress over and over again. ¡°When he grows up, Gerard will surely use his powers, Empress.¡± Gerard whispered with an expressionless face. ¡°The child that was conceived after buying one night for only 50,000 gold¡­ You believed that in the future, he would awaken his powers and become the emperor of this country.¡± He said he would sit in the most noble place. ¡°I¡¯ll try to live up to that belief.¡± Slowly, he reached towards the neck of the father whom he was grateful to¡­ and gripped his throat. The red eyes were brightly lit. Suddenly, he smiled. ¡°So, go now. When my father dies, won¡¯t I become the emperor?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± The emperor¡¯s breath, which had barely continued, was easily extinguished. It was too easy for Gerard, like plucking, breaking, and uprooting a plant. As he came out of the emperor¡¯s bedroom, he felt refreshed. In the hallway, countless bodies of guards and maids laid limp like decorations. This morning, Gerard thought as he looked at the skin that had now shriveled up to near his heart. Now he really didn¡¯t have the time or opportunity. ¡®Regression,¡¯ the plan that risked his life, should now be put into practice. Up until now, he had carried out the plan relatively quietly from behind, but now he had neither the capacity nor the thought to do so. ¡®I¡­¡¯ ¡®Even if it burns and destroys the entire empire, I must have it.¡¯ The throne of this country. ¡°Avilus.¡± ¡°Yes! Prince.¡± His faithful aide, covered in the blood of maids and guards, bowed his head. ¡°Suppress the empire by dispatching all the troops, including the secret unit.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Like a doll made of wax, his face that contained no humanity, smiled softly, red eyes shining as if blood was collected. ¡°Today, I¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I will kill everyone who is against me, I will make my glory known to the world, and I will hold El Dorado in my hand.¡± Avilus left immediately to carry out his orders. Gerard walked the blood-soaked hallway with a light gait. The sun was shining brightly from every window in the hallway. [My foolish contractor, what do you intend to do in such a big way?] The black snake swam through the pool of blood and asked. ¡°I will ¡®regress¡¯, tear Sislin to pieces, and return.¡± [Hehe! Even if maintaining the time-turning curse is the key? The amplification of Exordium is absolutely necessary!] ¡°Yes, I¡¯m going to take that power.¡± Gerard smiled with a hazy face as if slightly drunk. When the snake saw that face, it couldn¡¯t help but wonder. [In what way¡­?] Gerard replied with a low smile. ¡°I forgot. That there is a method that works very well on her.¡± [¡­¡­?!] ¡°You¡¯ll find out soon.¡± The black snake made a curious expression, but didn¡¯t ask. All it could do was expect its contractor to entertain it. ¡®Anyway, if he fails today, he will die.¡¯ What a fun betting time! ¡®Betting with life is always fun no matter how many times I¡¯ve seen it.¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Gerard muttered as he slowly gazed out of the bright window. ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful day.¡± ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ Thud, thud. I was running down the hallway, looking for Sislin. Clearly, according to Owin, it would be normal to see him around here, but I didn¡¯t. ¡®I need to find him quickly.¡¯ We need to talk right now. But that was then. I suddenly found something strange, and stopped walking without realizing. ¡°¡­¡­?¡± I blankly walked to the window in the hallway and looked at the sky through the window. ¡®That¡¯s¡­¡¯ What the hell is that?! In the skies of El Dorado, a scene that had never been imagined was unfolding. Woo woo woo¡ª There, a terribly black, overwhelmingly huge jewel-like object was slowly sucking in the light of the sky. As if swallowing up the whole world. Ame: He¡¯s basically going to take the whole empire as hostage¡­? Tassie: Well at least his appearance matches his personality now lol CH 143 The black diamond-shaped object was so huge that it was like a single ¡®fortress¡¯¡¯. Whoi-eiiiii-eiiiiiik¡ª! Dark clouds hung over the overwhelming force that the fortress sucked in, and the wind blew fiercely. Dry leaves mercilessly fluttered in the air. Indeed, it was an overwhelming sight. ¨DIt was an object that I would never have seen in my life, even in my dreams. But why?! ¡­It looked kinda familiar. ¡®What is that?!¡¯ ¡®I¡¯ve definitely seen it somewhere.¡¯ ¡®Think, please. Where did you see it, Annette?!¡¯ Just as I was squeezing my brains out, the sharp sound of ¡®Tul-suk!¡¯ caught my ears. Next to me, a servant was on his knees and raising his hands to the sky. He cried out with a face full of fear, as if a ghost had pried open his eyes. ¡°Ah, the evil spirit has come! To punish us who are sinful!¡± The cry made everyone in the entire hallway shake. Except for me. Only me. Everyone knelt down as if possessed and shouted to the sky. ¡°Alas, the end of the world is coming!¡± ¡°Everyone, pray. We have to beg to be saved¡­!¡± ¡°The evil spirit must have sent messengers to punish us! Oh, my God¡­ Help us.¡± My mouth dropped wide open. ¡®Crazy, everyone is being swept away!¡¯ It didn¡¯t look like they were under any spell or magic. However, everyone was just terrified. What¡¯s the situation outside? I hurriedly looked out the window. Roughly half of the people looked up at the sky, the other half were crying, and some were praying to the god they believed in. ¨DIt was literally pandemonium. ¡°Ah.¡± That was then. As if lightning struck my head, I remembered where I had seen the black object in the sky. About 10 years ago, Gerard¡¯s cigarette case. It looked exactly like the black jewel that had been attached to it, emitting a dazzling light. ¡°Gerard¡­¡± It was a time when Sordi and Um were needed. ¡°Sordi, Um! Please answer.¡± These days, I could immediately summon Sordi and Um whenever I wanted. My ¡®resonance¡¯ was almost running towards the maximum. To the extent that it could be expected for to happen soon. Unsurprisingly, immediately, my left and right hand tingled, and the power of each was felt. The cool light and the hot fire showed off their respective presence, and a message rang in my ears. [Glutinous rice, you called¡­!!! Oh, Gerard has finally gone crazy.] Although they did not actually show themselves to my request of ¡®answer me,¡¯ they clearly share the same view as me since they responded to my call like this. I stared at the unidentified black gem. ¡°That¡¯s Gerard¡¯s work, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯ve seen that object in Gerard¡¯s belongings¡­ Of course, it wasn¡¯t that big.¡± Behind the fiery voice of Um, Sordi¡¯s calm message reverberated in my head. [That¡¯s Acra, the condensed power of Ven¨¦num, the cursed sorcerer¡¯s core. ] ¡°The cursed sorcerer¡¯s core?¡± [Yes. It is similar to the process of building ¡®resonance¡¯ with us. Gerard must have nurtured Acra for a long time, having been handed the nucleus from Ven¨¦num, putting it in his belongings, and keeping it with him at all times.] That¡¯s why¡­! He acted like he should never lose it. This was the reason he had no choice but to accept the deal with the cigarette case. [When the resonance between Acra and the contractor is strong, it¡¯s transplanted into the contractor¡¯s body from the object, and continues growing. And now, the power was released. ] ¡®How can it get that big?¡¯ The owner of the voice in my mind changed. Now it was a voice with the intensity of scorching fire. [Glutinous rice! Ven¨¦num is spreading fear with ¡®mind manipulation¡¯. If one is not a warrior with strong mental power, he or she will be swept away. You have to stop it! ] ¡°¡­I¡¯ll go. The two of you, please do not materialize, gather that power and give it to me.¡± Because even the slightest amount of power should not be wasted. [Good. Go for it, glutinous rice! ] [Okay, sweetheart! ] ¡®Can I do it?¡¯ The sky was now all black, not a single handful of light existed in the world. People became increasingly frightened. I instinctively realized. ¡®This is not the time to ask questions.¡¯ It was a time when I could do something only if I took a step forward instead of asking questions. I quickly ran towards Acra. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°Shit! It¡¯s kind of sticky.¡± Puck! The monster that clung to the waist was kicked away, then a bullet went through it with precision. Kieeeeek-! The corpse of the beast, whose head had been blown away, fell to the floor. Nevertheless, there were many more beasts around. ¡°I don¡¯t know what the hell this is. Demonic beasts appearing in the middle of El Dorado¡­?!¡± Wasn¡¯t this a bizarre sight, as if baguettes and sausage buns were stuck in the middle of the desert instead of cacti? Number 19 scratched the back of his head with the muzzle. ¡°I will live and see all the starry landscapes.¡± was in full force at the sudden appearance of the demonic beasts. These veteran warriors who went through countless battles were able to safely evacuate the residents who were terrified and smoothly dealt with the beasts. However, it was always done in change. ¡°Even Requiterras (worm-like beasts resembling insects) appeared. Master, as you know¡­ That¡¯s a beast that only appears in desert areas.¡± One-eye frowned. ¡°Something is strange.¡± Kyle, who hit the head of a beast resembling a snake that was rushing at him, skillfully aimed his shotgun at the next target and said, ¡°It must be because of that strange jewel in the sky.¡± ¡°I think the same.¡± Although Kyle and One-eye didn¡¯t know what Acra was, the cause seemed obvious to anyone who saw it. After that huge black diamond-shaped object floated in the sky, people suddenly became terrified, and the beasts were flocking to El Dorado. Many were too frightened, to the point they could not even evacuate and were just praying, nailed to their seats. If it weren¡¯t for , most of them would already have been the food of the beasts. ¡°Shit! Master! We¡¯ll die of exhaustion if we keep dealing with the beasts here like this!¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we deal with that dark thing first? Ah, stop rushing in~ You guys, I¡¯m scared to death~¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. First of all, it would be better to figure out the identity of that black object.¡± As Chubby, Number 19, and a heinous-looking comrade spoke, One-eye added, ¡°And we need to know where Miss Annette is.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡®Annette.¡¯ Kyle bit his lip. He said as he shoved a bullet into the head of a Requiterras that dashed headfirst at him. ¡°You guys defend the people here! I will go.¡± ¡°I will accompany you, Master.¡± It was too dangerous to go alone. One-eye thought so and stepped forward. But Kyle grabbed his shoulder and said, ¡°You protect your comrades.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± His emerald eyes were desperate, yet trusting. At the master¡¯s words, One-eye made a torn expression for a moment, then clenched his fist and nodded his head. ¡°Take care, Master.¡± ¡®Leave it to me.¡¯ Immediately, Kyle started running, cutting through a cloud of beasts, leaving the place. How long has it been? A child¡¯s cry was heard from somewhere. ¡°Ahhh! No, heuk¡­¡± The cries became lesser and softer. The little girl was so frightened that she couldn¡¯t even speak properly. ¡®Is there a child who hasn¡¯t been able to evacuate yet?¡¯ A dangerous situation unfolded as he followed the cry around the corner. In front of the little girl who looked like she wasn¡¯t even ten years old, the green sticky demon was drooling, its mouth wide open, and trying to swallow the child. Without a second thought, Kyle threw his body, wrapping it around the child. Then, taang! He fired the bullet at the beast¡¯s head. Paak!!! The bullet of Kine, the leader of , never, ever missed. The beast¡¯s head exploded as it was. In the next moment, the green body swelled¡ª a rapidly growing ¡®second¡¯ head opened its mouth and swallowed Kyle whole. Gulp. ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± Then it wobbled, and slowly crawled down the alley. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ I was running. A large building was always farther away than it looked, and the Acra was like that. It was quite far beyond the Imperial Palace of El Dorado. ¡®What the hell¡­¡¯ It was none other than hell. Complete hell. While Gerard¡¯s private army and the Imperial Palace¡¯s soldiers were fighting frantically, I was running away from them well (of course, there were instances where I needed to use my abilities). ¡®Isn¡¯t Sislin supposed to be around here?¡¯ The closer I got to the Acra, the more I felt that Gerard had more troops. Since it was Sislin that led the Imperial Palace¡¯s core forces, he would probably be on this battlefield. But I wasn¡¯t worried about Sislin¡¯s life. He was a warrior stronger than anyone else. Sislin, Heinrich, and Kyle. ¡®Everyone, please stay strong in your position.¡¯ It was only natural to counter a sorcerer¡¯s power with another sorcerer¡¯s power. I was the only one who could untie this terrible knot with Gerard, who had been tangled up in bad blood since my mother¡¯s generation. After running like crazy, I finally reached the front of the Acra. ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± Gerard was standing under the Acra. His eyes were closed, drawing the power of the Ven¨¦num from his whole body and consolidating it into the Acra. A strong wind blew nearby. ¡®Now is my chance.¡¯ Because he was concentrating without realizing that I was approaching. ¡®Let¡¯s finish it all at once.¡¯ I approached Gerard at high speed and drew out the power of Exordium. Shu-woo-woo-! Just then, Sislin discovered her. He frantically ran towards Annette, killing Gerard¡¯s soldiers who were flocking like dogs in one blow with a bayonet. However, more enemies blocked him like a shield. ¡°Annette! It¡¯s dangerous, don¡¯t go near it!¡± At that moment, when Annette¡¯s fire was about to capture Gerard. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Gerard opened his eyes. His livid, blood-red eyes stared right into hers as if to tear her apart. Ame: This final battle isn¡¯t going down like how I imagined it to be back during the ¡®hell party¡¯ arc lmao Where¡¯s the part where all the boys assemble and overcome their differences and take down the big bad Germrad???? Instead, we have Sislin who was awol till the last few sentences, Heinrich who just woke up from being poisoned, and Kyle was just swallowed by mr. greeny slimy¡­ Sordi and Um ain¡¯t guarding their backs, they¡¯re freaking just holding pompoms and cheering from the heavens or whatever¡­ Tassie: I AM TENSE!!!! WHATS GONNA HAPPEN NEXT??? Also can anyone else smell the death flags being raised through the screen?? No?? Just me??? CH 144 Chi-i-i-i-i-i-i! At that moment, a piece of black magic that pierced through the air from afar reached right in front of Gerard¡¯s nose. ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± Gerard had no choice but to fly high, avoiding Sislin¡¯s strike. In the sky next to the encroached Acra, Gerard looked down at the land that had been stricken with satisfaction. His private soldiers, who had been brutally trained and raised, ran madly at the imperial troops led by Sislin. Ahhhhh! Shouts of fighting spirit mixed with cries of desperation of death. ¡°Ah¡­ It really is¡­¡± Gerard¡¯s eyes widened gently. The eyes filled with joy were not covered by the eyelids. ¡°¡­Such beautiful harmony.¡± As if in ecstasy. He reached out his hand and pointed. ¡°There too.¡± Then, with an elegant touch, the index and middle fingers spread wide and pointed to a distant place. There, was the last line of defense to block the demonic monsters from streaming into the capital. was the last shield that existed so that ¡®humans¡¯ and ¡®monsters¡¯ could be divided, the defensive lines built around the place where the private houses were located. ¡°¡­And there too.¡± ¡®I can see everything from this high place.¡¯ Gerard raised the corners of his lips and let out a big laugh. The heavens rumbled. ¡°Everyone looks happy. Having fun! If I had known it would be this much fun, I would have done it sooner¡­!¡± Gerard, with a black snake pattern on his neck, was completely Ven¨¦num itself. He touched the corner of his mouth, blinking the eyes that had nothing but life and joy left. As if he had no idea what to do with the heat of this body and this overwhelming joy. ¡°It¡¯s a shame that I¡¯ve waited all this time.¡± ¡°Is this fun?¡± Below, Annette, who had her feet firmly on the ground where people were screaming, opened her mouth, muttering quietly. ¡°Is it fun for people to get hurt, attack each other, and panic?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°What are you doing this for?¡± Gerard¡¯s red eyes looked down at her expressionlessly. ¡°Of course it¡¯s all for the throne. This is for me to ascend to the highest and most noble place.¡± As he spoke of his goal, a simmering heat began to rise inside him. When did he start setting goals? It was a very long time ago. Sislin, Annette¡­ the both of them could never guess how unthinkably old his aspirations were. They didn¡¯t know his desperation. Sislin was born with everything, abilities and a noble bloodline, and Annette was no different. But he himself, born from a lowly drunken night, could not be noble if he did not do this. ¡ªIsn¡¯t this unfair, no? Some people were born noble and able to live to their heart¡¯s content, while others were born lowly like garbage. ¡®Do those born to nobility know what suffering is?¡¯ ¡°This is all because of you, bitch.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°If, in the first place, you cooperated with me 10 years ago by giving me ¡®amplification¡¯, the essence of the power of Exordium¡­¡± He trembled, clenching his fists. ¡°This wouldn¡¯t have happened today. Everyone would have naturally led their daily lives to welcome the new emperor. So, all this catastrophe is because of you.¡± Poking and digging into the opponent¡¯s heart, he spat out fang-like words. ¡°The reason these people are suffering and dying today is because of you!!!¡± So suffer, that kind and weak heart, and fall into a sense of shame to the fullest, little girl. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Gerard declared war on the still Annette. ¡°I have to take what¡¯s mine today.¡± That was then. Annette, who had been swallowing silence, belatedly uttered. With hard, unshakable, pale green eyes, she spoke through clenched lips. ¡°It¡¯s really pathetic.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Gerard¡¯s eyebrows rose crookedly. ¡®I¡¯m pathetic?¡¯ ¡°A life that sacrifices the happiness and well-being of others for only your own dirty desires.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Your ugly desires will never be rewarded, Gerard.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡± Swaeaeaeaek¡ª That was then. Sislin cut through Gerard¡¯s soldiers that were blocking him with a single strike. He rushed at Gerard in a form that surpassed the limits of a human being, piercing the dense, rushing, rain-like attacks. Then he signaled right away. ¡°Annette, now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!!¡± It was then that the eyes of Gerard, who had been careless, shook. Annette fired an attack, her hands reaching out towards the Acra in the air. ¡°Sordi.¡± Suuu-woo-woo! A bamboo spear of light was fired vigorously, accurately penetrating the black Acra. ¡°¡­No!!!¡± Gerard stretched out one of his hands. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ Kuung¡ª The limp green beast was crawling with a stupid face. Kuung, kuung¡ª Its slow strides felt a little more impatient than before. Probably because it swallowed something strange. ¡°¡­Guweeeek.¡± Right when the green beast screamed and twisted its body. Ji¨C Kikikikkik. A dagger protruded through the thick flesh. Soon, a young man came out of the beast¡¯s stomach. It was a terrifying sight for others to see. As it was like the birth of a demon wearing a beast¡¯s shell. Of course, the devil¡¯s face was very neat. Just like a docile stag. In addition, the appearance of holding a small girl in his arms seemed sacred. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Thank you¡­ T-Thank you.¡± The girl answered Kyle¡¯s question. Fortunately, there were private houses around, and when he knocked on the locked house, a young couple came out from inside. The couple was a little wary at first, but after they figured out the situation, they were happy to take care of the girl. Kyle said, ¡°It¡¯s dangerous outside, so you must not go out. Lock the door like you did earlier and come out when it is quiet.¡± ¡°¡­Yes!¡± The woman agreed, hugging the girl tightly. The woman¡¯s belly was round. There were other beings to protect besides me, she said so with a desperate face. ¡°If I wait inside, things will get better, right? ¡­It¡¯s not going to get any worse, is it?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Kyle¡¯s eyes gently folded as he smiled. ¡°Of course.¡± The house where the pregnant woman, the young father, and the girl were staying was locked again. Kyle¡¯s eyes sharpened as he turned around. ¡®I must protect all these people.¡¯ Kyle looked around, wiping away the slimy beast¡¯s body fluids. First of all, figuring out his location was important. ¡°¡­Looks like I¡¯ve moved quite a bit, but the line of defense has already been pushed this much¡­¡± was fighting not far away. Gradually pushed by the demonic beasts, the defense line was getting more narrow. The black object that bizarrely dominated the sky was also quite close. As if the final destination of the demonic beasts was there. At this point, he was worried about someone. ¡°Annette.¡± ¡®Are you safe by now?¡¯ Kuung¡­ The instant Kyle clenched his fists and stepped towards the Acra. Dun! Dun, kuung! Suddenly, the ground began to vibrate violently. It was the sound of the world turning upside down. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ Ji¨C kikikikk! Sordi¡¯s power pierced the Acra with precision. Gerrard said in disappointment. ¡°Unbelievable¡­¡± He lowered his head, putting his hands on his forehead and whispered. ¡°This¡­¡± His body was trembling more and more. Then, soon after, he started laughing out loud. ¡°Hahahahaha! It¡¯s really fun!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The black celestial body of the Acra moved in unison, like a single organism, blocking the pierced hole by itself. ¡°Hahahahaha! What a trivial attack!¡± Annette clenched her fist. ¡®I must have been lacking, my strength.¡¯ Suddenly, veins spurted on the manically smiling Gerard¡¯s forehead. He twisted his lips, blood-red eyes shining. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve done your tricks, it¡¯s time to punish you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let you taste a bigger disappointment.¡± Immediately, a stem stretched out from the Acra in the sky and connected to Gerard. Gerard¡¯s red eyes flipped over and the whole thing turned black. His entire eyes were filled with black. There was not a single bit of white. ¡°Ven¨¦num. Stand up!¡± Dun! Dun! Kuung! Suddenly, the ground began to vibrate violently. As if the world was turning upside down. It was from then. People who were lying on the floor with serious injuries got up. Like frightened zombies, they rushed towards their opponents, unaware of the pain in their bodies. ¡®The type of mind control has changed.¡¯ Now, it¡¯s even worse. Even if a limb was lost, people were still killing each other with hostility. In this hell, Annette called only one person with a pale face. ¡°Sislin¡­!¡± Sislin was an undefeated warrior, but it was not easy for him to survive and attack his opponent like a zombie. Annette helped Sislin by blocking some attacks with Um¡¯s power, but it seemed unlikely to be resolved. That was then. Kieeeeek! A beast that was taller than a building, ran towards them with its eyes flashing. A soldier from the imperial army cried out with a face of utter desperation. ¡°The last line of defense has been broken!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± ¡°Oh, it can¡¯t be. Oh God¡­! Have pity on us!¡± It seemed that humans were not the only ones affected by mind manipulation. Demonic beasts were pouring into the area, attacking people indiscriminately as if they had forgotten their pain. ¡°Annette!¡± At that time, Kyle stepped out, putting a bullet in the beast¡¯s head. ¡°Kyle!¡± Uwoong! However, a huge beast swung its arm towards Kyle, who had come through countless numbers of beasts. Puck! Kyle slammed into the wall with a bang. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Sislin was struggling, bloodied. Annette¡¯s eyes went blank. ¡®It¡¯s said to have the power to protect.¡¯ The power of the source. ¡®If I inherited Exordium, wouldn¡¯t it be possible to protect them?¡¯ ¡®If so, give me strength.¡¯ ¡®Exordium or any God is good, so give me the power to protect these people.¡¯ ¡®Lest everyone die in despair.¡¯ ¡®Please.¡¯ ¡®¡­No.¡¯ Annette, who had always prayed to God, realized that the subject was wrong. This wasn¡¯t time to beg God. She only had herself. ¡®I hope I can save them.¡¯ At that moment, her mind lit up. It¡¯s like the moment when she first inherited the power of ¡®Exordium¡¯. A beam of light flashed before her eyes, and vivid letters were engraved in her mind. She cried unconsciously. ¡°Flowering.¡± Almost instantly, something amazing happened. Ame: my heart was pounding like crazy from the start to the end!! How am I to sleep tonight!?!?!! Tassie: It feels like we were going like 20 and now we are speeding ahead at 100!!! CH 145 ¡°Ugh, damn it!!!¡± Thousands, tens of thousands of rays of light erupted from her and pierced the demonic beasts. Eiiiiekkkk! As soon as they touched the light, the beasts that were trying to devour people crumbled and disappeared into dust. Gerard staggered and tried to block the light with both hands, but still felt pain tearing through his body. The pure light covered the whole world, as if it was cleaning up the impurities of the earth. Woo-oo-oo-woo-woo! The Acra that touched the light vibrated violently and staggered in the sky. And after a while¡­ People who were blind to the light slowly opened their eyes. The dangerous beasts that were attacking them had disappeared without a trace. With a look of disbelief, someone shouted. ¡°¡­The beasts disappeared. Wow!!!!¡± Along with him, several people cheered and rejoiced; it was a miracle for them who were almost eaten by the beasts. The people who rushed at Annette and Sislin like zombies who didn¡¯t feel any pain groaned and collapsed when they came to their senses. It was clear that the Acra¡¯s power had weakened. ¡°Annette, are you okay?¡± Amidst the chaos and dust, Sislin cut through everyone and approached Annette. Annette slowly opened her eyes, and there stood a man shining like a piece of sunlight in her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Sisl.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m better now than ever.¡± She could feel the power of Exordium pounding deeply both in her chest and in her fingertips. ¡®This is ¡®flowering¡¯.¡¯ She was feeling with her whole body the noble, dangerous power that Sordi and Um had explained and emphasized repeatedly. It was truly different from the power of light and fire that had been used in small ways before. [Glutinous rice! Hahahaha, it finally bloomed!] [You did a great job, sweetheart.] ¡®No, Sordi. Um.¡¯ ¡®The real work starts now.¡¯ Although damaged, the Acra was still in the sky, and fortunately, those who lost their senses returned to their original state¡­ Bang! Just then, a giant blade slashed and jabbed in the direction of Sislin and Annette, but they managed to quickly dodge sideways. ¡°Gerard¡¯s troops are targeting me, Annette. It¡¯s more dangerous for you to stick around.¡± ¡°Watch out, Sisl!¡± Annette exclaimed loudly. ¡®Gerard¡¯s combat troops are still attacking.¡¯ Although the power of mind control had weakened and they were no longer attacking without their intelligence like zombies, their attacks with their original strength were still fierce. Gerard brought together all the cruel mercenaries from all over the world, just as he did when he formed the chasing team. It was still a great force. Then, an unwelcome voice was heard. ¡°Hahahahaha! Congratulations, you have finally experienced flowering. Did you know that no one has been waiting for you to bloom as much as me?¡± Gerard couldn¡¯t hide his joy. Yes, he was rather happy! ¡®Finally, the power I will receive has been completed!¡¯ He would receive even the slightest imperfect power, so he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about what would happen if his plans went wrong. Gerard was still convinced. That he could perfect his power with Annette¡¯s amplification ability. Even though he saw that she had become strong enough to threaten the Acra. Because¡­ ¡®You¡¯re going to make the same choices as you did in the past, you foolish girl.¡¯ Annette responded coldly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to receive your congratulations. The congratulations of the soon-to-be damned human.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to be damned ?¡± With a burst of laughter, Gerard raised his hands as if genuinely delighted. ¡°Well. I¡¯m convinced that I¡¯m destined to sit in a ¡®noble seat¡¯?¡± In line with Gerard¡¯s beckoning, as if the air was peeling off a layer, a space was revealed, and the silhouette of a man appeared there. He looked very tired and weak¡­ ¡°Heinri!¡± In shock, Annette called Heinrich. Heinrich hung in the air with his arms tied tightly. Gerard was thrilled by Annette¡¯s bewildered expression, and he grabbed Heinrich¡¯s hair, shaking his head roughly. ¡°Sister¡­¡± Heinrich barely opened his eyes, and found Annette. His dry, cracked lips moved helplessly. ¡°Sorry. Really¡­¡± ¡°Heinri!!!¡± Below, Annette was covering her mouth with both hands, bearing a contemplative face. ¡®Oh, what a great scene.¡¯ Gerard couldn¡¯t contain his joy at the scene of their reunion, his mouth tore open with laughter. He looked creepy, like a snake. Heinrich was such a powerful wizard, so it was not easy to capture him, but unfortunately, he was very weak due to the incident at the last banquet. It was thanks to that that he was able to catch him like this. ¡°Oh, you must be very worried. Annette, isn¡¯t this the child you¡¯ve been particularly fond of for a long time-¡° That special heart. The heart of loving and caring for someone. That useless affection was clearly weak. Seeing how she weakened like this simply because he captured the boy. ¡°In the past, you made a lot of sacrifices to save this guy.¡± ¡°¡­You despicable man!!!¡± ¡°If you complete the power of Exordium, you can handle amplification freely, right?¡± Heuk, Annette¡¯s eyes shook. Gerard gladly grabbed the victory, holding out his hand. ¡°Come over to me and put an amplification on me.¡± His goal was still to turn back time, get rid of Sislin, and start from scratch. To become the crown prince of this empire, wielding an unbreakable strong power, and finally¡­ Sit on the throne to rule El Dorado. It was time for such a normal trajectory. It was time to get what he deserved. ¡°Sister! Don¡¯t mind me. Just kill this bastard¡­¡± Paaaaak! Heinrich choked up and spilled blood upon Gerard¡¯s powerful slap. Annette¡¯s face turned pale. Seeing the tormented Heinrich, she cried out as if she couldn¡¯t stand it. ¡°Gerard, I¡¯ll give you the amplification! Release Heinrich, please.¡± ¡®Finally, I got the answer I wanted.¡¯ The corners of Gerard¡¯s lips went up like it was going to rip his mouth apart. ¡°That¡¯s right. Come here.¡± ¡®Again, foolishly, you repeat the same mistakes as in the past.¡¯ ¡®You were like that in the past too.¡¯ When he offered to adopt Heinrich, Annette overturned his will and graciously announced that she would like to be adopted instead. She was a kind person even when she was a kid. She would do anything for someone precious. Such a foolish woman. Gerard had no doubts that she would still make the same choice today. ¡®You can¡¯t let go of this little love and you¡¯re going to ruin everything, Annette.¡¯ ¡°Come and hand over that power to me!¡± Gerard brought her in front of him. Into the black sky without a single light, next to the Acra. Annette¡¯s hair and the hem of her outfit fluttered in the wind. ¡°Sister¡­ In the end¡­ because of me¡­ Sorry.¡± At Heinrich¡¯s whispers, Annette reached out to Gerard. It¡¯s like giving amplification right away. That¡¯s when¡­ tuk! Gerard grabbed her wrist and said, ¡°Wait.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯m an idiot? You bitch, you¡¯re going to ¡®recover¡¯ it afterwards, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Listen well. In case the power of the amplification is not given to me, I¡¯ve put a curse on this¡ª¡± Gerard pulled Heinrich¡¯s hair back roughly. ¡°See.¡± A red line ran across his white neck like a thin choker. ¡°This is a pre-casted spell, so even if you ¡®recover¡¯ your power, it will be activated. As soon as it¡¯s ¡®recovered¡¯, this guy¡¯s neck and body will separate right in front of your eyes.¡± Hah, the corners of Gerard¡¯s lips rose. Annette responded calmly. ¡°I wasn¡¯t thinking of that. If I give you power, promise to let Heinrich go and stop this war.¡± ¡°I promise. It¡¯s a deal.¡± ¡®I¡¯m sorry, little girl.¡¯ ¡®I don¡¯t keep promises well.¡¯ ¡°Sister, you can¡¯t¡­¡± Heinrich begged to the end, but Annette seemed to have made up her mind. As Gerard slowly released Annette¡¯s hand, her hand flashed brightly and touched Gerard¡¯s chest. Feeling the overflowing vitality in his chest, and Gerard¡¯s heart raced. Finally, the time has come. The moment he had been longing for all his life. He failed over and over and over again, but in the end he got here. In this instant, he felt like he was going to lose his mind, mixed with ecstasy and thrill. A starter slipped out of Annette¡¯s mouth. ¡°Rec¨¦ptus!¡± Gerard¡¯s chest heated as if it was about to burn, and he felt his whole body fill with light. ¡°Oh, you stupid girl¡­!¡± ¡®You didn¡¯t know this was the way to ruin the Sislin you loved so much.¡¯ Gerard burst into laughter and quickly invoked the spell he had previously casted. It was now time to go back to the past and defeat Sislin. But just then, Gerard caught sight of Annette¡¯s expression. Her pale green eyes were clearly curved into a smile. It also had a pretty evil glint. ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± ¡®What is that?¡¯ That sinister smile? His chest grew cold. Without even a second to ask questions, Gerard slipped back to the past. Ame: *sips orange juice* get wrecked, gerard :> it rhymes! And jokes on you gerard, annette isn¡¯t good at keeping promises either Tassie: PLS I HOPE WE CAN SAVE HER MUM LIKE THIS CH 146 ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°Another prince will be born today!¡± ¡°Ah, he must be a precious baby who looks just like His Majesty the Emperor and inherited the power of Her Majesty the Empress, right?¡± ¡°¡­I want to see him as soon as possible. I¡¯m so looking forward to it!¡± Today, in the Imperial Palace of El Dorado,, it was full of hopes that were soft and sweet, like pink cotton candy The maids were busy chatting about the prince who was to be born today. ¡°Oh, let¡¯s go to the labor room quickly!¡± ¡°Yes. We¡¯re late¡ª¡± The maids, who were excitedly discussing what color of socks would suit the newly born prince, realized the time was running out and moved on. Everyone¡¯s cheeks were red. ¡°Hello, Prince!¡± The first prince of El Dorado, Gerard von Axelferion, realized the moment he was greeted by the maids. ¡®I succeeded. I¡¯m back to the past!¡¯ A feeling of pleasure like a thunderbolt spread across his spine, making his tiny hairs standing upright. Gerard hurriedly looked out the window in the hallway. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The reflection in the window was unfamiliar. He had healthy skin and a bright complexion, far from rotting. The young face was still unfamiliar. It wasn¡¯t a dying body. From head to toe, strength ran all over his body. As if newly born. The second act of a new life has begun! Then, the first thing he should do to commemorate his new life is¡­ ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Kill his brother. There was something that he regretted from a very long time ago. That¡¯s right, bribing the maid to treat the child as a stillborn. He was unaware of the fact that the weak-hearted maid eventually rescued Sislin and sent him away. ¡®It¡¯s a mistake that will never happen again.¡¯ The second opportunity had to be used wisely, so Gerard decided to use a more vicious method. ¡®This time, I will kill him myself.¡¯ Gerard asked to enter the labor room. ¡°Her Majesty the Empress has given permission. Please enter, Prince.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Gerard forcefully held back his laughter as he entered the labor room. ¡®It¡¯s a shame, isn¡¯t it, Sislin?¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s a life that dies as soon as it¡¯s born. You¡¯ll die as soon as you take your first breath.¡¯ ¡®In the first place, a trivial life like a fleeting dream is what suits you.¡¯ ¡®Give me all your glory and die.¡¯ ¡°Gerard. My son.¡± ¡°Yes, Mother.¡± Empress Sansil appeared emaciated due to the labor, but she was still dignified. Although she sometimes shouted that Gerard was not her son, Gerard was basically a prince. As long as she wasn¡¯t indulged in that delusion (though true), she was still generous to young Gerard. ¡°Your brother will be born today.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Are you here because you want to see him quickly too?¡± ¡°Yes, Mother.¡± She didn¡¯t even know that the cuckoo chick hiding in the Imperial Palace had come to push the other eggs out of the nest. The average good person¡­ ¡­could only imagine how evil other people could be. From a villain¡¯s point of view, it seemed really stupid. Gerard smiled brightly. Looking at the empress¡¯s round belly. ¡°When my younger brother is born, I will protect him by becoming a kinder and more reliable older brother than anyone else, Mother.¡± ¡°¡ªGerard.¡± The empress seemed a little moved. ¡®Stupid bitch.¡¯ Early that morning, it was announced that a new prince had been born to the world. Gerard hid himself in the labor room, hiding himself with the magic tool that would have been given to the maid. More stealthily than the moonlight. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± From the cradle, the eyes of the small life resting on the blanket shone eerily. Gerrard walked out with the child in his arms. And into the dark forest outside the Imperial Palace, he went deeper and deeper. Tak, tak, tak! As he ran while stepping on the morning dew, he laughed out loud in excitement. ¡®It¡¯s today! It¡¯s today!¡¯ The day of revenge. The starting point for his future, in which there¡¯s no Sislin and he would rise to a higher position than anyone else. ¡°Poor bastard.¡± Gerard held the child in his arms and smiled. ¡°You¡¯re born with a fate that you couldn¡¯t avoid, and it looks like you¡¯re about to get killed.¡± The living creature in his arms was disgusting. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. God has thrown your soul into the abyss, so you have no choice but to accept¡ª¡± Gerard then slowly peeled off the sack covering the child. But something was a bit strange. It was a child, not a newborn. Although born today, the child had hair, and the shape of the features was quite clear. Like a child who was a few months old. And the boy had the same silver hair as his, and his eyes were red. ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± At that moment, he realized. Who was the target that he held and cursed? It was himself. To be precise, his past self. ¡°This¡­ This is nonsense! What happened?¡± Gerard stammered, flustered. That was then. The imperfect past slowly began to melt away. There were goosebumps on his spine. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ The day Gerard spent in the past was a fleeting moment in reality. As soon as he opened his eyes, I saw Annette¡¯s smiling face. The dark sky with the Acra. And, right next to him, Heinrich, who he had caught, remained the same. ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± ¡®It failed. Damn it, I¡¯m back!¡¯ ¡°Rec¨¦ptus!¡± Was that a ¡®recovery¡¯ spell, not ¡®amplification¡¯? ¡®No way.¡¯ ¡®It can¡¯t be possible. I told her that I had put a curse on the damn wizard beforehand.¡¯ Besides, it was true. ¡®Does that mean it doesn¡¯t matter if the wizard dies?¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Gerard looked at Heinrich, waiting for the curse to kick in. But then. An amazing thing happened. At his feet, a silhouette of a man appeared and folded his arms leisurely. ¨DClearly, that was Heinrich. ¡°¡­Two wizards?!¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s why you¡¯re an idiot.¡± Not the tied-up wizard, but the one with his arms folded in a relaxed manner, narrowed his arrogant eyes. ¡°Would there be two genius wizards like me? Use your head a little!¡± Gerard¡¯s face contorted badly. ¡®How did this happen?!¡¯ ¡ªThe night before¡­ ¡°Let¡¯s take some precautions, Heinrich.¡± ¡°¡­What precautions?¡± Heinrich and Annette discussed a lot, all night long. It was about how to stop Gerard, who would soon start acting up. A few good (but pretty evil ways) came out of Annette¡¯s head. ¡°¡­You seem to have a talent for doing bad things, worse than me.¡± ¡°Oh, thanks for the compliment. Heinri!¡± Another story emerged in the flow of that conversation. ¡°Heinrich, you must be careful. Gerard could use you again to get me.¡± ¡°Did you say ¡®again¡¯¡­?¡± Annette revealed what had happened in the past. Heinrich had some guesses, but these were the things that he did not know in detail. The girl who left him in the Forest ultimately did so to protect him. Heinrich¡¯s eyes became a little red. He vaguely guessed that she would not have abandoned him and left. But he didn¡¯t know the actual details until now. ¡°Besides, you are weakened now. You should be more careful.¡± ¡°¡­If he were to use me to threaten you, he would have to take my freedom. Is he going to kidnap me?¡± ¡°It could happen.¡± Heinrich thought deeply for a while, and then smiled. ¡°That¡¯s something I can prepare well for.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°There is a way.¡± Heinrich was excited and explained the ¡®doll manufacturing process¡¯ he had developed. He spoke with much eagerness, like a mad scientist who had succeeded in an experiment, but even the clever Annette didn¡¯t understand half what he was talking about. ¡°¡­Uh, that¡¯s great, but Heinrich, can you make a doll just like you as soon as possible?¡± ¡°Ah, don¡¯t worry. Once the method is found, production is straightforward.¡± ¡°Say, how did you come up with the idea of making such a scary doll?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Heinrich, who was talking animatedly, suddenly coughed and pretended not to know. Then, he replied that even a genius wizard needed to keep some things secret, and did not speak about it further. ¡ªWell, back to the present. Agitated, Gerard urged. ¡°Explain it now! Did you use replication or something?¡± Almost immediately, the pre-casted spell activated, and the cursed Heinrich doll turned into butterflies and dispersed in an instant. Dun. Gerard¡¯s face turned pale in shock. ¡®I was deceived.¡¯ ¡®Is this a failure?¡¯ Nothing was gained? Obviously, he was about to eliminate Sislin and implement his plan. Was he failing again, when it¡¯s right in front of his nose? ¡®¡­Because of that bitch, no, Annette.¡¯ Then, Annette said with a serene face. ¡°I told you, you¡¯ll be ruined soon.¡± Jaaaaaak! The Acra, who lost ownership of its power, created a strong wave. Without delay, Gerard¡¯s soldiers and the mercenaries gathered for slaughter rushed at Sislin, Kyle, and the imperial soldiers. ¡°This girl¡­!¡± Gerard also stretched out his hand towards Annette. Right at that moment. Annette knew what she had to do. The source of power that completely and perfectly resonated with her was telling her¡ª how to use this power that was in full ¡®bloom¡¯. Annette held the Acra with both hands and muttered quietly. ¡°Ex¨®rd?um.¡± The light drove out the darkness and slowly penetrated inside. The Acra, which was making waves, became quiet for a moment, then cracked, and light slowly leaked through the cracks. Krrrrrr¡ª A cracking sound echoed through the sky. Pieces of the Acra shattered in the air. ¡°No, no!!!¡± The screaming Gerard fell to the floor when the Acra, which supported him, disappeared. The light of Exordium leaking from the Acra covered the whole earth and illuminated the world. Everyone had no choice but to stop fighting and cover their eyes. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Everyone became quiet. As if the world ended in an instant. ¡ª The first sound I heard was the song of a bird. The clear chirping of birds flapping their wings in the newly brightened sky. One by one, people opened their eyes. Gerard¡¯s soldiers, who were only trying to kill the opponent by order, and the imperial troops. Sislin, Heinrich, and Kyle¡ª We were all watching the sunlight pouring down from the clear sky once again. ¡®How bright and beautiful is this light.¡¯ The moment when everyone was captivated by the strange sense of exhaltation. ¡°¡­The battle is finally over.¡± One soldier said. At the end of the sentence, there were enthusiastic shouts from all over the place. The battle was finally over, and it was our victory. The shouts of the people resounded in the sky, and the losers threw away their swords. ¡°Annette.¡± In the heated atmosphere, Sislin approached and hugged me tightly without delay. ¡°Well done.¡± ¡°¡­Sislin.¡± Belatedly, Heinrich and Kyle came running. ¡°Sister!¡± ¡°Miss Annette!¡± Surrounded by the three men, I laughed out loud. At ease for the first time, without any anxiety. ¡ªThe radiant beams of the sun shone down. Ame: did the author planned to use the dolls in this way all along, or were they really originally written just to make heinri look crazy/obsessive? guess i¡¯ll never know~ And, 3 more chapters to the end of the main story! CH 147 Under the twinkling sunlight, people exchanged words with joyous voices, saying things like they were glad to be safe. Winston¡¯s shields rushed in to find Kyle and joined him. With a grin, Chubby asked with a loud but hoarse voice. ¡°Master, are you okay? I heard you were mercilessly beaten up by a beast earlier.¡± ¡°¡­Weren¡¯t you worried when he became fodder?¡± ¡°It¡¯s more like I got carried away?¡± At Kyle¡¯s words, Number 19 laughed. Everyone was in a good mood. There were even people of the tower running towards Heinrich. ¡°Ah, they¡¯re coming to take care of me because I¡¯m the prospective tower lord.¡± Although Heinrich commented that they were just annoying, it seemed he was a little touched by their actions. The wizards of the Magic Tower asked with excitement on their faces. ¡°Where did you get the material for the doll? This is a huge milestone in the study of magic!¡± ¡°How does the soul work in conjunction with the homunculus? Please publish your thesis in the World Magic Society.¡± ¡°Is one of the doll¡¯s ingredients the essence of a red dragon?¡± It was a riot of magic fanatics. Heinrich shook his head, as if expressing ¡®Me too, but you guys are quite awful, it¡¯s awful¡¯, and said, ¡°Crazy wizards¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s the essence of a red dragon, right?¡± Meanwhile, I was worried about Sislin. ¡°You¡¯re hurt, Annette.¡± ¡°Yes? ¡­I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡®I don¡¯t think that¡¯s what a bloody-faced person would say, Your Highness.¡¯ In contrast, there were only a few scratches on my arm. It was fortunate that I suffered only such injuries from the battle. However, Sislin couldn¡¯t take his eyes off of the scratches on my arm and sadly rubbed the surrounding skin ¡°You have to show it to the doctor right away.¡± Right then, I felt it naturally. This feeling of a butterfly flying into my heart. ¡®Maybe it¡¯s love.¡¯ Even if the world turned upside down and came back again, the sun would rise and light up a new day. ¡®I have no choice but to love this person who is heartbroken by the scratches on my body instead of his own deep wounds.¡¯ At this moment, I realized that I was in love. ¡°Sislin, I have something to tell you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± His red eyes looked down at me silently. The time when I was afraid of those red eyes full of selfless concern and affection was now far away. ¡®I guess falling in love makes you brave.¡¯ The whole nation was afraid of him, but it¡¯s not the same for me. Confessions lingered in my mouth. What should I say? I accept your proposal? I like you too? Aside from the numerous confessions floating around in my head, sincerity moved my lips a little more honestly. ¡°I want to marry you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± In an instant, Sislin¡¯s movement stopped. The confession was very clear and hot. ¡°¡­Now, I want you to be with me for the rest of my life.¡± I want to wake up in the morning listening to your breathing. I wish I was the one who always worries for you first. All my life¡­ My whole heart¡­ ¡®I want to use it only for you.¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­.¡± A slight tremor and emotion passed through Sislin¡¯s eyes. His large hand slowly wrapped around Annette¡¯s cheek. It was an irreplaceable moment. No one would understand the emotions Sislin was feeling right now. Even Annette. Right this second, the wind blew. At first, it was a breeze, but then it became a wind as wild as to tear the earth. There was the sound of the world breaking apart, the cracks forming in the solid ground and the ripping of the air. ¡°¡­¡­!!!¡± The Crevasse was opened between the man and woman. It opened its mouth like a dark red black hole, threatening to swallow everything like crazy into a burning space. ¡°Ha¡­ Ahahahaha¡­!¡± Gerard, lying face down on the floor with numerous corpses, almost turning into one himself, laughed. ¡°When I failed¡­ You didn¡¯t think I¡¯d prepared for that? It¡¯s my revenge.¡± Sublime eyes looked at the Crevasse that he had opened. It was a spell that was designed in advance before the power was recovered. To open the door of the Crevasse if he failed. In the reality that didn¡¯t go his way, Gerard wanted to somehow ruin Sislin. ¡°If it cannot be mine, it¡¯s better to be destroyed!¡± Manically, he cackled. ¡°Everyone, be in a mess!¡± ¡°Shut up, you bastard. Don¡¯t make a fuss.¡± Puk! Pak! Heinrich coolly stepped on the back of Gerard¡¯s head. The crack in the Crevasse grew in an instant. As if to try and swallow anyone. ¡°Get away!¡± Kyle came forward and warned. Since the Crevasse was originally intended to imprison criminals, it was designed to target ¡®someone¡¯. ¡°Your Highness, please avoid it!¡± If the one who activated it was Gerard, who had anger towards Sislin, Kyle could guess who the target would be. ¨DHowever, the Crevasse¡¯s mouth changed direction as quickly as a living being, and finally headed towards Annette. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± Gerard was now aware of how to make Sislin truly suffer in pain. ¡°¡­Sislin.¡± Annette¡¯s blonde hair and the collar of the outfit she was wearing fluttered madly. In that blink of an eye, Sislin recalled the pain he had suffered in the Crevasse; of his arms and legs falling off and his whole body torn apart. Rather, the times that made him beg for death. Just before the Crevasse swallowed Annette, Sislin quickly pulled her away and threw himself in as a sacrifice. Shoo-woo-woo-ook! After swallowing the sacrifice, the Crevasse disappeared like a lie. Only the voice of Annette calling for Sislin resounded through the earth. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ After many sacrifices, the battle was finally over. In the midst of a meeting among the ministers over the crown prince¡¯s vacancy, one conclusion was reached. ¡ªIt was the death of the crown prince, Sislin von Axelferion. The opinion of the attending doctor, who knew the Crevasse and Sislin¡¯s situation better than anyone else, played a major role. The doctor remembered the warning he had given Sislin last time. ¡°If you go to the Crevasse again, you will definitely go wild. No, actually¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee you¡¯ll ever come back alive.¡± The current opinion was not much different. ¡°Even the Crevasse that opened this time is different from what His Highness has been through. That ¡®dark red thing¡¯ is used to kill people.¡± Perhaps there were not even bones left in it now. The attending doctor shook his head. The country that lost its crown prince mourned, but it was only temporary. Government affairs had to resume, and the chief ministers took over. Today was the day the new magic tower lord was elected. All those who had the right to vote in the 28th magic tower lord election voted unanimously. Grand Duke Heinrich Hyacinth. He became the new ruler of the tower. In addition, Belsac Valentino was arrested on charges of using ¡®paralyzing poison¡¯ on the former tower lord and trying to help Gerard harm Annette. The whistleblowers of Valentino¡¯s magic researcher, Annette¡¯s testimony, and Heinrich¡¯s blood helped uncover the allegations. ¡°¡ªSister.¡± Heinrich called towards Annette¡¯s back. ¡°You¡¯re at the river again. I feel like you¡¯re here every day.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Tun, tun. Heinrich walked over to her. The sun was setting on the clear river bank. In the wind that flew through her cold hair, there was the smell of the fishy, bitter river water. ¡°What were you doing?¡± ¡°Just, I was thinking about the old days.¡± Smiling faintly, Annette answered Heinrich¡¯s question. She stood by the hawthorn, surrounded by tiny flowers like white snowflakes. Both the flower tree and the woman looked fragile, as if they would break if brushed against. Heinrich looked at her with a bit of pain in his eyes, but soon he fixed his expression and smiled. ¡°Sister! I¡¯ve finally become the master of the tower~¡± ¡°Good job, that¡¯s great.¡± ¡°Right? You should have seen my biological father turn over, Sister.¡± ¡®Ah, how refreshing it was.¡¯ Heinrich trembled and placed his hand on the back of his head. ¡°Also, Gerard is being questioned. Well, the death penalty is almost certain.¡± Since he had already become a walking corpse, it was difficult to even interrogate him. In fact, it was probably more painful to be alive. ¡°Are you going to the trial?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Annette answered, still gazing at the river. ¡°I will see with my own two eyes as he receives judgment for his sins.¡± In the end, she did it her way. Heinrich thought so, and smiled quietly next to her. ¡®I hope you¡¯ll feel a little better too.¡¯ These days, Annette spent all day looking at the river alone by the hawthorn. She didn¡¯t leave until the sun went down and it was night. ¡®Staring at the river all day, what are you really looking at in your heart?¡¯ As Heinrich tried to understand Annette¡¯s mind, she quietly opened her mouth. ¡°Heinrich, I have a favor to ask you.¡± ¡°Anything! Just say it! If it¡¯s Sister¡¯s request, I¡¯m okay~¡± With glassy eyes, Annette requested. ¡°Tell them to delay Sislin¡¯s funeral a little.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Everyone in this empire was saying that Sislin was dead. But it wasn¡¯t completely ¡®everyone¡¯. Until the very end, there were people who believed that Sislin was still alive. ¡°Sislin will return.¡± One of those people whispered; she turned, firm eyes looking straight at Heinrich. When the whole world gave up on him, Annette didn¡¯t give up on him. ¡°I believe¡­ He will definitely come back.¡± Ame: I wanted to write some nonsense after Sislin got swallowed up and see who would be duped, but I changed my mind >_> felt like I shouldn¡¯t taint the story lmao And for those wondering why am I not kicking and screaming and crying¡ª I¡¯ve been doing so much of that the past 20 episodes that my eyes are all dried up by now TT_TT Tassie: IT WAS SO ROMANTIC AND THEN THE AUTHOR WAS LIKE NOPE!!! IT FELT LIKE I WAS ENJOYING SOME ICE CREAM AND SOMEONE JUST RUN UP TO ME, GRABBED MY ICE CREAM, THREW IT ON THE GROUND, STOMPED ON IT AND THEN KICKED ME IN THE BALLS!! AND I DONT EVEN HAVE BALLS!!! CH 148 Ah. ¡®You really believe it, Annette.¡¯ ¡ªSislin will return. Heinrich smiled brightly as he looked at Annette¡¯s assured face. ¡®It¡¯s so like Sister.¡¯ Yes, that was one of the reasons he loved Annette. She always looked like she was as sweet and fragile as a sugar cookie, but inside her heart she had strong beliefs and convictions that no one else could touch. Seeing her beliefs led her to happiness, Heinrich could be a little happier too. He realized it now. Heinrich stood next to Annette and looked at the river together. The cool wind was kind of lonely, but¡­ ¡°Well, wouldn¡¯t it be nice to show everyone the authority of the new tower lord?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Somehow, it felt good. Seeing Annette¡¯s smiling face made him feel more at ease. ¡°If the tower lord and the Duchess of Valienne say that, the state council will have no choice but to make that decision.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you, Heinrich.¡± It must have been a concern in her heart, judging by her small smile now. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s because I¡¯m too lazy to even attend the funeral of a guy I hate to see.¡± ¡°¡­Heinri.¡± This time, her light green eyes were a little droopy. Heinrich smiled playfully and grabbed Annette¡¯s hand. Then he said quietly. ¡°He will definitely be back, that man.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really like him, but I admit that he is very strong-willed. Even in Bayonaire, he found you before me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It was also he who followed you until the end when you left the Forest.¡± ¡®Maybe that¡¯s why I didn¡¯t win your heart. I think I was¡­¡¯ ¡®¡­a little less desperate than the opponent.¡¯ He feared and worried that she would leave, but for that guy, those fears and worries were always second. Just as if today was his last, he always desperately did his best to pursue and love her. ¡®I lost.¡¯ So now, let¡¯s admit defeat. Even when the whole world believed in his death, in front of her, who was confident and believed in Sislin¡­ Unlike himself, who made her cry by acting like a fool, the only way to beat Sislin, who risked his life to save her. It¡¯s¡­ ¡°Sister, you must be happy.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± It¡¯s putting her happiness ahead of his fears and longings. ¡°Remember? When I was young, you always read children¡¯s books with happy endings at my bedside.¡± Annette¡¯s eyes trembled finely, like a halo of lights embroidering the river. Heinrich raised the corners of his lips. ¡°I first learned from listening to those fairy tales that people¡¯s lives can end happily.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Before that, it was natural for life to be unhappy.¡± Now, he felt he could understand the heart of the person who told him happy endings. ¨DYou can be happy too, you too can be happy. She was praying for it. The person who wrote the story must have felt the same way. ¡°Now I will wish you a perfect happy ending.¡± ¡°¡­Heinrich.¡± ¡°So, Sislin, he will definitely come back.¡± ¡®Like the happy fairy tales you read at my bedside when you were little.¡¯ ¡®Let¡¯s¡­ be happy. Annette.¡¯ The imperfect and fearful love had finally deepened and ripened, and her happiness was now his. ¡®Please be miraculously happy.¡¯ ¡°Thank you.¡± At Annette¡¯s reply, Heinrich smiled comfortably and grabbed her hand. The two of them held hands and looked at the river for a long time. The white flower buds of the hawthorn surrounding them swayed in the wind. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ El Dorado gradually found stability. Meanwhile, Annette received letters, flowers and gifts from countless people every day. Victoria raised her eyebrows. ¡°Hmm, this is the 119th bouquet. In the future, flowers should be banned.¡± Surrounded by gift boxes, Annette said as if she was troubled. ¡°¡­Please ban all gifts, Victoria.¡± ¡°It can¡¯t happen!¡± Victoria dared to contradict, sternly raising her finger. ¡°The Duchess saved the empire. no! It¡¯s like saving the world.¡± ¡®¡­Huh, suddenly, the world?¡¯ ¡®I can feel some great bean pods and praise, Victoria.¡¯ ¡°Gerard, if you hadn¡¯t stopped the evil one, wouldn¡¯t he have the ambition to become the ruler of the world? So, you¡¯re the hero of our country and the savior of the world. A million more of these gifts are not enough!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡®A bread lover is the savior of the world?!¡¯ Annette wanted to refute something, but she gave up because Victoria¡¯s eyes were too bright. But the invitations of the minstrels must be stopped. This was happening because Victoria had expressed her aspirations to set up a statue of the ¡®Duchess of Valienne¡¯ in the square and make the minstrels sing songs of praise to the world. ¡­It was really serious. ¡®It¡¯s hard to go out even now.¡¯ Whenever Annette went out, someone would always come and ask for a handshake or opportunity to chat. Also, with very passionate eyes. It was scary at times. ¡­It¡¯s like the whole empire has become a ¡®obsessive maniac¡¯? ¡®If I get even a little more popular, I¡¯ll be locked up at home.¡¯ However, contrary to Annette¡¯s discomfort, it was only natural that the status of Valienne, which had been quiet for a long time because the previous head had been ill, rose at once. ¡®Will my mother like it?¡¯ This was something she could be sure of. She was sure her mother would like it. She seemed to be watching her daughter doing well, her love who she had tried to keep. Even from afar¡­ That alone put Annette¡¯s mind at ease. ¡°Duchess!¡± ¡°Yes? ¡­Please bear with the minstrels, Victoria.¡± In front of Annette who somehow became lost in her thoughts, Victoria received a letter from a maid and said, ¡°It seems that new charges were revealed before the trial of the former first prince.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Annette¡¯s eyes widened. ¡®The death penalty is pretty much confirmed, but there¡¯s other charges?¡¯ ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ It started with the declaration of one of the Morserk clan who was working in the imperial court. ¡°Gerard, he is not of His Majesty¡¯s blood in the first place!¡± She said that she had helped transform Gerard into a prince in accordance with the wishes of her clan long ago, but she became increasingly skeptical. It was an action for the revival of the clan, but Gerard tried to annihilate the clan. She was the only surviving Morserk, who managed to save her life by hiding her identity, but she said that she always lived a life of regret. She said again. ¡°It was something that should never be done for the sake of the family or the country¡­ I¡¯m telling you the truth to fix everything right now!¡± Those remarks changed the mood of the empire. Although Gerard was a traitor who attacked the country, he was a prince who was respected by the people of the empire. And there were clearly those who did not want Sislin to be the crown prince. They had been defending Gerard, the only remaining imperial bloodline. Such ones had even been protesting against the death penalty. ¨DBut, he wasn¡¯t even a prince in the first place? El Dorado was taken aback, and before the trial, an investigation to finally reveal the truth began. This time, Gerard had to stand in the place where Sislin had proven that he was of the imperial blood with his own blood. (TL/N: remember, our boy didn¡¯t just waltz into the palace. I mean, he kinda did, but he didn¡¯t exactly smoothly obtain his ¡®prince¡¯ status.) It was there that it was discovered that Gerard¡¯s blood did not belong to the imperial family. At that moment, everyone¡¯s dagger-like gaze turned to Gerard. ¡°No!!! The test results are wrong! I am Gerard von Axelferion. The prince who was respected by El Dorado!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Have you not bowed your head and served me all your life? Have you all forgotten?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°This is a set up! There¡¯s no way I¡¯m not of imperial blood!¡± Gerard frantically tried to explain, but it seemed just a madman¡¯s cry. The nobles who supported Gerard to the end and believed in his innocence were greatly disappointed on the spot, and the news immediately spread throughout El Dorado. There was no one to defend him anymore. ¡ªIt was a complete downfall. And¡­ On the afternoon of the day of the uproar, Annette held her mother¡¯s funeral. The funeral was held quietly, but it was as dignified as there was care; it bore an atmosphere where the deceased could be sent comfortably. Annette quietly greeted her mother by scattering flowers at the induction ceremony. To her mother, whom she had never even talked to, Annette seemed to be able to speak confidently and comfortably now. ¡®Goodbye, Mom.¡¯ Now, feel at ease. ¡®Everything you have passed on, I will carry on well.¡¯ ¡®Don¡¯t fret any longer and sleep comfortably.¡¯ That afternoon¡­ One of the people at the funeral stopped by to see Annette. ¡°¡­Annette.¡± A bouquet of flowers was held in the man¡¯s hand. He smiled softly. Annette rose and greeted him. ¡°Welcome, Kyle.¡± Ame: :¡±) is it just me, or have all our main characters matured? A MINOR VERY IMPORTANT SPOILER for the last main story episode¡­ *drumrolls* NUMBER 19 FINALLY GETS A NAME!!! Hahahaha I just had to say it here cause it¡¯ll definitely be swallowed up by¡­ *looks left and right, and shuts up* Anyway! It¡¯s been a few novels, but I still hate the feeling of nearing/reaching the ending ;-; The kkp announcement makes me think there¡¯ll be side stories though!!! Please keep praying along with me? Tassie: Oh my god, I can¡¯t believe we are already almost at the end!! Look at how much all of our babies have grown ;-; putting Annette¡¯s happiness above their own CH 149 ¡°Are you feeling a little better?¡± Kyle asked Annette, offering her the bouquet of flowers. He knew firsthand what it was like to send one¡¯s mother off. So he was worried about her, who was going through the funeral. Annette readily accepted the bouquet with a smile. It was a warm smile, like a good season for flowers to bloom. ¡°Of course. It was a funeral that I had already prepared my heart for. I¡¯m okay.¡± Fortunately, she looked much calmer and better-looking than she was then. She was always a better woman than she had seemed. He had felt it in every moment of interaction with her. It was very, truly exhilarating. Annette led Kyle to the table and the two sat down. On the table there was hot tea, fragrant. ¡°Annette, will be run by one of my subordinates for the time being. He said a boy named Noah would help.¡± ¡°Noah¡­! That¡¯s great. I heard that the bakery is doing very well too?¡± Rocky Ballinell (the name of Number 19 which finally appeared) was quite good at baking, and his proprietary patent for saying ¡®It¡¯s out of stock¡¯ in a rich accent was increasing the popularity of the bakery day by day. (TL/C: you guys know I don¡¯t usually do this, but¡­ yasssss, you finally got a name!!! And you¡¯re popular to boot!!! hope you¡¯ll get married before your master Here¡¯s to a safer and yummier life at the bakery!!! Larva who?) ¡°Rocky often comes to me and talks about the operation. I think there will be a branch soon.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m running a bakery even after becoming a duchess¡ª¡± Kyle put his fist to his lips and chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s irresistible to this bread lover.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re the bread lover who bought bread every day!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t go because I liked bread. I went because I liked the pretty owner who always welcomes me at that bakery.¡± Kyle said with a fresh smile. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Annette looked apologetic in an instant. Now, she could no longer repay the chocolates and flowers given by the pure stag, who walked in and out of the bakery every day. As she couldn¡¯t reciprocate this guy¡¯s wedding ring. Kyle, having always considered Annette¡¯s inner thoughts thoughtfully, recognized her pretty heart right away. He smiled and lowered hand with gentle eyes. ¡°Annette, you always do your best with what you like.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Running a bakery, helping someone, and loving someone¡­ I really loved the way you looked doing so. That¡¯s why¡­¡± Annette looked at Kyle. She gazed into the warm eyes under the hair as soft as a field of wheat. ¡°That¡¯s why, Annette¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t feel sorry for me.¡± Annette trembled a little. In order not to cause her trouble, this man was taking care of her until the very end. He was a really nice guy. ¡°Kyle, how can I not be sorry?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You have done so many things for me. You always protected and helped me. At Bayonaire, and even now.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who helped me first.¡± A boy who was afraid of people, but also lonely. She found him hiding all the time and willingly gave a mask. A person who made the boy who was as insignificant as a grain of sand as beautiful as a castle. That unconditional warmth was the beginning. Her desire to help was just the beginning. He was only trying to repay her for her considerate heart and the kindness he had received from her then. ¡°Annette.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I did not protect you to be loved by you.¡± There was no such condition in his favor. ¡°I just wanted to repay the favor. And I just wanted to be like Annette, out of respect for your wonderful and kind heart.¡± ¡®That handful of favors I received as a child made me a warm person, Annette.¡¯ ¡®If it weren¡¯t for you, I might have become a heartless man to everyone by now.¡¯ Annette¡¯s eyes lowered as she whispered. ¡°Thank you so much for saying that, Kyle.¡± ¡°I am leaving for the north tomorrow. I¡¯m going to fulfill the mission of the .¡± ¡°¡­¡­! Will it take a very long time?¡± ¡°It won¡¯t take that long.¡± ¡°How long will it take?¡± ¡°Two seasons will suffice. I will be back when autumn comes.¡± ¡°Please take care of yourself.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He smiled sweetly. Then he shifted slightly. ¡°Oh, can I ask for one last favor?¡± Annette nodded. ¡®Is there any favor I can¡¯t listen to?¡¯ ¡®If it was Kyle¡¯s request, I really wanted to do anything.¡¯ ¡°Absolutely. Say it, Kyle.¡± Kyle took Annette¡¯s hand and slowly lowered his head. The fragrant aroma of the fresh blooms lingered between them. ¡°Be happy, Annette. All this time, I¡¯ve been truly happy thanks to you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Annette bit her lips before pulling it into a grin. ¡°Yes!¡± ¡®I will, Kyle.¡¯ ¡°I will be happy.¡± ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ In the dark prison. Gerard, who was sentenced to death today, was imprisoned; he had a completely stunned face. A few rats next to him were gnawing at the moldy slices of bread. They scattered at the sound of approaching footsteps. ¡°Death row prisoner Gerard, this is the last serving.¡± Rattle¡ª It was a very poor meal. Hard bread and almost watery yellowish soup. Gerard¡¯s eyes looked down at the plate, then he frowned and said, ¡°You¡¯re giving me garbage to eat.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The guard¡¯s expression changed. Bang! The guard kicked him and shouted, ¡°It¡¯s a waste to give food to a vicious bastard like you! Think of the millions of people who died because of you!¡± After bitterly criticizing Gerard, the guard spat and went away. ¡°¡­¡­?!¡± Gerard felt a slight cognitive dissonance. Wasn¡¯t he the one who was always respected by everyone? Although he was born lowly, was he not a man who would rise to the highest place? Even on the day of the launch of the Acra, he held the position of a prince who was respected by everyone. Such cognitive dissonance only slightly diluted when he was on the death row the next day. Everyone who came to see the public execution resented him. Some wept as they screamed that they lost their families in the riot. It was then that Gerard realized. That his own life was a complete failure from start to finish. Dun, dun, dun, dun. His red eyes were empty as he walked to the execution site. In the glowing light from high above, the criminal could not even open his eyes properly. A smile came out upon that glare. In the end, was that basement the right place for him? ¡®¡­Ultimately, the end he faced was the most humble and lowly. No better than a worm.¡¯ It was a miserable death that was the exact opposite of the goal he had longed for. Like this, the life of a man who did evil for himself came to an end. No one mourned Gerard¡¯s death. Death, which brought little comfort to the hearts of the victims, was the most valuable thing he had done in his life as a human being. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ ¡°Are you going to the river again today?¡± ¡°Yes, Victoria.¡± Victoria hesitated like she wanted to say something. She looked worried. I know what Victoria wanted to say, so I smiled and reassured her. ¡°I just want to get some fresh air and go for a walk.¡± ¡°¡­Please come before dawn, Duchess. The night air is cold.¡± ¡°I will, Victoria.¡± After Victoria left, I grabbed a pen and finished writing a letter. It was a letter to Sislin. ¡¸Sislin, It¡¯s been ten days since you left. As I calculated, in the Crevasse¡­ It¡¯s the amount of time for a person¡¯s life to pass.¡¹ The tip of the pen trembled. The time of a man¡¯s life. The time for someone to be born and die again. ¡¸It¡¯s ten days for me, but a lifetime for you. Because my time flows differently from where you are. So my day goes by like 10 years. Every minute and second without you is so dark and slow. During that time, I worry about you, but I also have selfish concerns. Maybe you forgot me? For a lifetime¡­ ¡­is too long to wait for someone.¡¹ It¡¯s said that if one experienced the pain of the Crevasse, one would go crazy. ¡®Will you remember me in that excruciating pain?¡¯ Even Sislin had never been in the Crevasse for so long. Maybe he has already forgotten me. ¡¸It¡¯s okay though. Because I remember all of us.¡¹ The slight shake of the tip of the pen suddenly disappeared, and the writing became calm and clear. ¡¸It¡¯s okay if I love you alone this time. Just like you did all this time. So please¡­ Come back, please.¡¹ The end of the letter was eventually stained with tears. ©¥©¥©¥©¥???©¥©¥©¥©¥ The sky was clear today. The sun shimmered like diamond powder sprinkled on the riverbank. I looked at the river next to the hawthorn tree. ¡°¡­It¡¯s so pretty today.¡± Actually, before coming here, Heinrich asked. ¡°Sister, why do you always wait by the river?¡± ¡°Ugh, just¡­!¡± Contrary to the answer, there was actually a reason. ¨DThis was the closest river to the crack where the Crevasse had formed. I heard that when people who have experienced the Crevasse return, they often appear ¡®near water¡¯. So, it was just a glimmer of hope. ¡®If you come back¡­¡¯ If Sislin came back after a long, long time in it¡­ ¡®I want to welcome you even one step closer.¡¯ I wanted to be the first person to greet him. The wind along the river was strong today, making my hair flutter and my fingers cold. Breathing into my hand, I looked at the little bird by the hawthorn tree. ¡®Cute.¡¯ It was a yellow bird with black eyes and a tiny beak. It was just as adorable as a chick. Right then, the wind blew and the bird flew away and sat on another branch. ¡°¡­¡­?¡± As I pushed the branch with my hand, a large but familiar silhouette appeared. Black hair if it had absorbed all the light and swallowed it, and beneath it, sharp red eyes. Shoulders so wide that it felt like a solid castle. My lips trembled. I barely let out my voice. ¡°¡­Sislin?¡± It felt like my heart was dropping down to the floor. My heart leapt painfully. It was good, but it was terrifying. Was this a dream? In the meantime, I have had many dreams of the return of Sislin. Dun, dun¡ª Soon, the man approached. He had a familiar body scent and face, but something was different. ¡®His eyes.¡¯ ¨DYes, his eyes had deepened a lot. As much as the weight of the time he went through alone. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Sislin was just staring at me with that unfamiliar gaze, so I asked, touching my chest with trembling hands. ¡°Do you remember me?¡± He smirked at my cautious question. Instead of answering, he hugged me tightly in his arms and kissed me. It was a familiar and exciting kiss. Tears flowed from the unchanging warmth of his arms and the hands that caressed my back. The lips that fell sadly answered. In a low, friendly voice. ¡°That¡¯s a stupid question.¡± He would rather forget himself. ¡°How can I forget you, Annette.¡± ¡°¡­But, a lot of time has passed. Almost as much as a person¡¯s life.¡± He said as he wiped his lover¡¯s tears with his fingertips. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve been in Crevasse for a whole lifetime and I¡¯ve been wanting you.¡± Even though he spent decades in pain, he always loved her as if it was yesterday. Love bound in his heart, thirst in his soul. ¡®Annette.¡¯ ¡®I will always long for, want, and love you by your side.¡¯ Just as Annette lived here by Sislin¡¯s standards, Sislin lived Annette¡¯s time in the Crevasse. He then said, as if answering the confession he heard ten days ago. ¡°Let¡¯s get married, Annette.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± My chest swelled. Tears of happiness fell nonstop from my eyes. Hugging Sislin¡¯s neck tightly, I answered. ¡°Yes.¡± And again. ¡°Sislin, yes¡­!¡± ¡®We¡¯ll be a family now.¡¯ Like the single puzzle piece that was lacking in each other¡¯s lives, we would make each other¡¯s lives happier and more beautiful. With that¡­ ¡ªI¡¯m truly happy. ¡¾The Obsessive Male Leads Want To Eat Me Alive, END of Volume 2/Main Story.¡¿ ¡ª This is the end¡­ BUT!!! We have EVERY reason to believe there¡¯ll be side stories, just look at this kkp announcement¡ª ¡°¡­Episode 149 is scheduled to be completed today, and the side story will be announced later when it is decided. Please look forward to the future stories of Annette and the obsessive men.¡± I wrote this on 7th November 2022 and it¡¯s April 2023 now with still no side stories in sight, we can only keep hoping boohoo While waiting¡­ please do rate and review in NU *laughs* And below are the lovenotes from the team. Translator Ame: ¡¾I vividly remember the day I saw the promo and legit screeched in the staff chats if anyone can get me the raws <(£þ¦á£þ)> I have absolutely no regrets!!!! Every ? of the novel feels like a different genre in a good way, we went from childrearing to chaos to angst+drama, hopefully those side stories will grant us ¡°what if(s)¡± and happy ending~ My sweet Annette! Our spunky girl became a qualified duchess! You legit ran away from the novel but the plot dragged you back (£þ¦Ø£þ) Totally not your fault, and you did amazing, sweetie! I¡¯ll be looking forward to your grand plans to open the imperial bakery! Annette never said that, but I can dream, can¡¯t I? I love bread too Dear, dear Sislin! As lucky as Annette is to have you, you¡¯re very lucky that she chose you (¡¨£Þ¨Œ£Þ¡¨) your time in the Crevasse has made you stiff, please show us some of that volume 1 cuteness mixed with volume 2 sexiness soon hehe Heinrich, my boy! I dare say you¡¯ve grown the most out of the 4 main characters. I can understand why you¡¯re Annette¡¯s favorite character. You might not have gotten the girl, but you¡¯ll certainly leave your mark in history as the best and craziest archwizard! (??? ) And MY LOVE, KYLE!!!!!! You¡¯re the best thing that¡¯s ever happened in this novel, if not for you and Larva at keeping the plot going, we¡¯ll be onto chapter 200 without the end in sight (o?¦Ø?o) and¡­ if I remain single for life, it¡¯s all your fault! ??? Okay, umm¡­ closing statements. It¡¯s been an absolute joy to translate this, and I hope it showed in my translations. Shoutout to Vara, Kushi and Tassie, who indulged me in my addiction by providing raws and proofreading (>??) And seriously, please support the original author in kkp (link in the toc), she¡¯s truly amazing!! As are all of you, for reading this far *:??? SEE Y¡¯ALL AGAIN! I really hope so¡¿ Proofreader Tassie: ¡¾I literally cannot believe that we are at the end!! I still remember when Ame sent the promo and how we became immediately obsessed XD (PUN INTENDED) This has been one wild ride but id just like to take a moment to appreciate Ame who translated this novel so beautifully that sometimes I just read the novel while forgetting to pr it XD Ame is literally one of the most amazing people I know and I better see you all appreciate her!! I love you Ame!!! I¡¯m definitely going to miss our lovely Annette, Sislin, Kyle and Heinrich. Although the amount of times Annette¡¯s actions made me pound my head against a wall saying ¡°DON¡¯T MAKE PROMISES YOU CAN¡¯T KEEP!!¡± and Ame just having to go ¡°resolve comment, resolve comment¡­¡± Also the amount of thirsty comments Ame had to remove¡­ SORRY NOT SORRY HAHAHAHA MY TOXIC TRAIT IS THINKING I COULD FIX GERARD XDDD Although this novel had its flaws, I still think the author did a wonderful job with her story telling. Definitely go give your support however you can! SIDE STORIES WHEN PLZ I NEED TO SEE KYLE AND HEINRI MARRIED OFF AND HAPPY AND I. NEED. BABIES!!!! See ya around~! ¡¿