episode_0033

“You’re already back?”

A girl with bright green eyes spoke.

The girl’s name is Charlotte de Magcitia.

She is the second princess of the great Karaz Empire.

The person to whom the princess speaks highly.

That man is none other than the hero of this empire.

“I’ve taken care of everything, so I should go back now.”

It was Athena.

It’s already been five days since she stayed at the palace.

Having fulfilled all of the Emperor’s orders, she had no need to be here any longer.

“Don’t you always stay for a week? Why are you leaving so quickly this time? ”

Charlotte, who was secretly saddened by Athena’s departure, tried to hold on to her, but her will was stubborn.

“There’s someone I want to see soon.”

Athena thought of Hera and a small smile appeared on her face.

Charlotte couldn’t hide the surprise on her face when she saw that sight.

“Bo..Is that the person you want to see?! Seo..Are you a lover?”

Has Athena ever missed anyone?

It was surprising that she, who had never been interested in other people, wanted to see someone.

I wonder if she has a lover?

The hero’s lover. It was an incident that would not be strange if the palace were turned upside down at any moment.

But Athena shook her head in denial.

“No. It’s much deeper than that.”

Charlotte becomes even more confused.

‘Deeper…deeper?’

A relationship deeper than a lover?

W… No way… Is it your husband?

Are you married?

when?

With who?

“..Who is that… opponent? ”

But instead of an answer, a sharp rebuke came flying in.

“Ugh!”

“Now is not the time to worry about that. Didn’t you say you wanted the imperial power?”

“…I have a plan.”

The academy I will enter in two years.

A place where all kinds of talented people gather.

Charlotte intended to build her own power there.

“Huh..then what. Oh. Is there a magic tool shop near here?”

She quickly loses interest and then suddenly asks for the location of the magic tool shop.

“If it’s a magic tool shop… there are many near the palace…”

“Then recommend me a place. The best place.”

“Yeah… well… but why is there a magic tool shop..?”

Athena smiled mischievously at the princess’s question.

“If there’s someone you want to give a gift to.”

Are you planning to give it to your lover?

It seemed like I was sharing quite a passionate relationship with that person.

‘I’ll have to look into it later.’

A person who is loved by a hero.

Charlotte thought that it wouldn’t be a bad thing to become friends.

.

.

.

A quiet room.

In this room, the atmosphere is so quiet that it even feels cold.

New liquid…new liquid

All that could be heard was a woman’s thin breathing.

Another woman quietly watches that woman.

The brown-haired maid, Alina, was looking at Hera, who was quietly sleeping on the bed.

How much she had cried. Hera’s eyes were thick with tear stains, and her lips were pale and swollen.

However, the woman’s beautiful appearance, which did not disappear, gave off a hazy atmosphere that stimulated people’s protective instincts.

“…I’m sorry, miss.”

Even if it was the Master’s order, the one who carried it out was ultimately me.

There was no change to the fact that he had inflicted an indelible wound on Hera.

‘There will come a day when you will pay the price.’

All sins eventually reveal their true colors.

Just like the sins committed by one’s own parents.

They were not merchants. They told Hera that they followed their father, who was a merchant by profession.

This is completely false information. Her parents were so worthless that they would sell their own children to a brothel.

A piece of trash who would even abandon his children for money.

Because of them, I had to live a life worse than that of livestock.

But one day, while I was living my life with determination, I happened to meet Bordin.

He came to the red-light district to ask for information and showed interest in himself.

He took himself in, saying that he liked the look in her eyes.

Her life was turned upside down like that.

He himself had been living a fairly decent life under Bordin’s care.

He told me to call him Master and taught me many things I needed to know about life.

Among the various pieces of knowledge, the one that Bordin mainly taught me was the ability as an assassin.

As I found out later, he was a master of a hit-and-run business that was famous in the shadows.

The first thing he did after gaining power under him for several months was to find his parents and kill them.

The father cut his throat and ended his life. The mother poisoned his drink and stopped his heart.

It was revenge that had been kept for years.

But what came to him after achieving the revenge he had longed for his entire life was not a sense of accomplishment, but rather a terrible sense of emptiness.

Over his parents’ corpses, he could no longer find a purpose in life.

Bordin gave him a new goal.

He told her his plans, and she decided to join him in return for the favor.

That’s how I came to enter Athena’s mansion.

‘I don’t know why this is here, but…’

He didn’t know exactly what the Master was planning here, but it didn’t matter. He was only supposed to follow his orders anyway.

In fact, I have been carrying out orders without any resistance up until now.

From information disruption to murder.

Yes. It was something I had clearly done without any feelings.

But why is that?

The reason why a corner of my heart aches every time I see the young lady’s sad expression is because.

Do you feel guilty even now?

If so, you should get rid of this feeling as soon as possible.

This guilt is nothing but a disgusting, meaningless hypocrisy.

The wounds I gave her didn’t heal because of this.

I shook my head vigorously to clear my mind of the thoughts.

Anyway, the hero will return soon.

He will heal your wounds.

Then, you too can live a happy life.

….

‘…Can you really be happy..?’

The feelings he felt for the girl were closer to a terrible obsession than pure love.

Will the young lady be able to find happiness in such an obsession?

“….”

I looked at Hera, who was sleeping soundly next to me.

There was a faint smile on her lips, as if she was having a happy dream.

All he could do was quietly pull the blanket that was covering her up higher.

“…Good night, Miss.”

I hope you are happy, at least in your dreams.

.

.

.

“Sister, please do it~”

Lily hands me a spoon full of food.

As I opened my mouth wide, she quickly put the spoon into my mouth.

“Hmm..is it more delicious because it’s food Lily gives?”

“Hehe.”

When I saw her happy smile, I laughed too.

“Aren’t you two getting along too well? I’m jealous.”

“Ah. Sister.”

Dania pulls a chair over and sits next to me, hugging me secretly.

“Does the food suit your taste?”

“Sister’s food. It’s always delicious. I fall in love with it every time.”

“Oh my…haha…did you hear that, Lily?”

“….”

Lily looked at her sister with a sunken expression.

It seemed like the two of them had been fighting a lot recently, and it seemed like they were having this kind of war of nerves a lot.

“What’s your schedule today?”

Dania speaks to me, avoiding Lily’s stinging gaze.

What were you planning to do today?

I don’t remember very well.

“Hmm… Should I go hunt monsters again?”

It’s something I’ve been doing every day.

“Haa.. I’m worried.. I’m worried that I’ll get seriously hurt someday.”

“Hey, sis. I’m so strong! I can’t be shaken by most monsters.”

I smiled at Lily, who was looking at us with a slightly puzzled expression.

“And now Lily has grown up a lot too. Right, Lily?”

“…!!”

He was surprised for a moment by my words, but soon opened his eyes wide and answered.

“That’s right! I will protect Hera from now on.”

Her pretty words made me feel good for no reason.

“You’re strong, Lily.”

“Hehehe.”

As the two smiled brightly at each other, Dania, who was next to them, let out a short sigh and got up from her seat.

“Okay. As long as you guys are okay, that’s fine.”

Dania started clearing the table and putting away the dishes.

I tried to get up and follow her.

“Oh. I’ll help you too. Huh…?”

I couldn’t move my body.

It was as if someone was pulling me. My body was glued to the chair and I couldn’t get up.

Dania smiled brightly as she looked at me like that.

“No, I’ll clean it up. Sit down and rest.”

thud-

Suddenly I started feeling anxious.

An inexplicable sense of anxiety began to take over my body.

“Ah..no, sis. I..I’ll help you too..”

My body was shaking and I couldn’t speak properly.

Lily looked at me with concern, perhaps because my condition seemed strange.

“Are you okay, unnie..?”

– Are you okay, miss?

An unknown voice was heard overlapping near Lily.

“Sigh…school.”

Suddenly, it was as if I had forgotten how to breathe, and my breathing was not normal.

“Hey..Sister!!”

– You don’t look very happy.

“I can help you too..”

– Sigh… Why are you like this these days, Miss?

– Honestly, you’re not very good at this kind of work, are you?

– just….

– Just stay still, Miss.

“Ugh!”

The vision darkened for a moment, as if it had blacked out.

When I opened my eyes again, a familiar room came into view.

“It was a dream…”

A weak voice came out of his mouth.

I got up from bed with my heavy body and walked over to the mirror, where I saw my shabby appearance.

Skin that looks pale, if not white.

There were already dried tear stains under her eyes, and her lips had turned blue.

The sight of oneself looking so worn out.

I hadn’t eaten properly for a while, so my already thin body seemed to have gotten even thinner.

I don’t know how much time has passed since then. I don’t even know if it’s night or day now.

The maids were worried about me at first, but now they seemed to have given up and no one came to my room anymore.

I’m lonely.

It felt so contradictory to be lonely but not wanting to run into anyone.

Every time I met someone, I felt like I could hear their sarcasm directed at me in my head.

“…I want more..”

I’ve been sleeping so far, but I’m still feeling sleepy.

Anyway, I couldn’t do anything but sleep.

Because I am a useless person.

As I buried myself in the bed, I felt like my body was sinking down.

When I closed my eyes, all I could see around me was pitch black darkness.

I just wanted to disappear like this without anyone knowing.

As darkness slowly began to envelop my body-.

Bam-

“Hera~ I’m back…what is it? Why is it so dark?”

sun.

Like a sun.

Her golden light dazzled my room.