Ch.119The Wizard’s Pure Love #3

“I will acknowledge you if you produce results that please me.”

Eve recalled the words Helena had spoken not long ago, her eyes closed.

Every word she had spoken to Helena, the mistress of this land, had been sincere, but she didn’t want to miss this rare opportunity. So she remained deep in thought, even pausing her research.

If asked whether she absolutely had to produce those special results, the answer would be no. Without the promised position as a secret concubine, her treatment as the duchy’s magician remained unchanged.

What should I do?

Eve had decided to use magic to achieve results, as befitting a magician, but she couldn’t quite figure out how.

Then suddenly, the thought of doing something Helena liked flashed through Eve’s mind.

Like offering a bribe.

“Haah…”

Eve slowly opened her eyes and thought of Zion’s face.

He was what Helena cherished above all else, and doing something beneficial for him would be the shortest path to winning Helena’s favor.

Moreover, Eve thought that fulfilling her desire to be viewed favorably by Zion would also be a good shortcut.

Helena’s beauty was acknowledged by Eve and, beyond that, by all the territory’s people.

Especially seeing how Zion was completely captivated by her was proof that the original was flawless.

However, that beauty would only shine in youth, eventually withering away as if it had never existed.

This was due to aging, unavoidable for anyone born human.

Eve resolved to overcome this aging through magic.

Maintaining beauty despite advancing age, and using that beauty as a foundation to bind a man.

Though it was nearly heretical thinking for a magician, she was willing to walk that path.

And to take the first step on that path,

“Excuse me.”

She visited the Dark Elf’s house right next door.

.

“The Duchess is quite generous.”

Ellen murmured with genuine surprise as she sat across from Helena at the reception room table.

Helena’s gaze was calm as she looked at her, showing no signs of displeasure.

She had expected such a question would naturally arise.

It was just slightly absurd that Ellen was the one asking it.

“Generous, you say…”

Generous.

Helena repeated the word several times before picking up the teacup on the table and taking a sip.

The tea still had faint wisps of steam rising from it, holding a pleasant warmth.

Perhaps because of that, Helena’s lips parted only after she exhaled a long, hot breath, as if savoring the aroma and taste.

“Did I ever tell you about when Zion collapsed after being poisoned?”

“…Ah, yes. I’ve heard the Grand Duke mention it.”

“Good. To understand what I’m about to say, it helps to know about that incident. It still makes my blood boil whenever I recall it…”

Helena paused briefly, trying to forcibly suppress the anger that was beginning to rise.

The memory of the child writhing on the floor, dying from poison, was still vivid in her mind.

“…Anyway, at that time, I was in a state of extreme anxiety whenever Zion wasn’t in my sight. The fear that something might happen if he wasn’t visible to me.”

The period when Zion was young was when Helena’s obsession and madness reached their peak.

He had to be within Helena’s line of sight at all times; she wouldn’t even let him go to the bathroom alone.

It was that seriously problematic.

“Indeed, I would have been the same if I were in your position, Duchess.”

Unlike others, Ellen, who shared a similar disposition to Helena, showed easy empathy.

Helena nodded as if this response was expected, placing her teacup back on the table.

“That’s how it was then, but thanks to Zion’s devoted care, my anxiety subsided somewhat, and I gained some composure. I developed faith that this child would not leave my side. But… once I had a moment to breathe, I became aware of another anxiety.”

Only after gaining some breathing room did she have the leisure to reflect on herself, and through that, she newly realized how serious her condition had been.

If not for such an understanding child, things would have fallen apart long ago.

Helena, having realized this, sought out and read various books on madness and love.

“Then I happened to read a piece with rock-bottom reviews… and for good reason. It was a tale of romantic jealousy surrounding a man that ended with his death.”

The story involved the quarrels and madness of numerous women around a philandering man, culminating in his death.

To make matters worse, the bizarre ending where they decided to share parts of his body left Helena confused.

She understood the reasoning behind the thought that if they couldn’t have him whole, they would kill him and share him, but simultaneously thought it was stupid.

“In the end, no matter how much it belongs to the man you love… it’s just dead meat. What’s the use of holding onto such a thing?”

That’s right.

Ellen silently nodded several times, showing strong agreement.

She knew that endless days of almost-but-not-quite reaching someone would drive one mad with longing, but the method was the problem.

“So that’s how you gained some measure of generosity?”

“It was better than losing everything. Of course, that doesn’t mean I’ll accept everything. As you know, there were times when I truly wanted to kill Holy Hound. It just means that if a situation calls for compromise, I must accept it even if it grinds my teeth. But only in a way that benefits me.”

Helena said that Ellen’s life-threatening blackmail was a prime example of this.

“Just imagine if there were no warmth in this belly. Having tasted it, could you bear the emptiness?”

“Absolutely… not.”

Just imagining the absence of the heat that filled her belly was horrifying.

Ellen thought the same, her face turning deathly pale.

She even shuddered as a chilling sensation ran down her spine.

“…That’s why compromise is necessary. But… it also depends on the situation.”

If someone’s love—like Ellen’s dangerous affection—threatens to destroy the environment, Helena would compromise depending on the circumstances.

If not, she would lunge to cut their throat, as she had tried with Holy Hound.

That was the conclusion Helena had reached after much deliberation.

Ellen closed her mouth in gratitude for being able to live with such blessing thanks to that conclusion.

After all, Helena gritting her teeth and compromising meant the other party was both dangerous and valuable.

“Is Eve… that dangerous?”

“You know it too. Imagine if that talent went to someone at odds with us… like that merchant, for example.”

Eve working for those hostile to the Krauser Duchy.

Ellen swallowed dryly at the mere thought.

She was confident she wouldn’t lose in a direct confrontation, but Eve’s magic was perfect for launching sneak attacks.

Just thinking about the magic circles placed around the duchy’s walls turning against them…

“That would be terrible.”

“Yes. Terrible indeed. And it’s also talent too precious to throw away. Just like you.”

Setting aside her feelings toward Ellen, great abilities capable of causing disasters are certainly helpful.

Ellen, understanding this sincerity, lifted the corners of her mouth slightly and expressed her gratitude.

“But still, you set a condition that might take years to fulfill?”

“Unlike you, Eve isn’t impatient by nature. And she doesn’t fixate on just one man like you and I do.”

“Ah… that’s right.”

For Eve, both Zion and Helena are so important that it’s difficult to compare them.

Though there might be slight differences, their weight couldn’t be easily measured. That was precisely what Helena was pointing out.

“So I’ll wait. I’d be pleased if she eventually changed her mind and rejected the deal I offered… but that won’t happen.”

Haah. Helena sighed lightly and waited for the time to come.

The time when a clear conclusion would be reached—whether through giving up or achieving results.

.

“Wanting to appear beautiful to the person you’ve fallen for. It’s such a natural thought, isn’t it?”

Eve spoke while looking at an incredibly complex, translucent magic circle emitting blue light on the desk.

On the magic circle sat test tubes fixed in a rack, the kind you might see in a science lab, each containing a few drops of blood.

That blood belonged to Dark Elves and was research material for the magic of immortality she was currently studying.

“Well, that’s true… but why elf blood?”

“Elves are one of the long-lived races that maintain their youth despite living for a long time. So I thought understanding the reason might help.”

Eve’s eyes gleamed sharply as she answered Olivia’s question from where she was crouched in the corner of the laboratory.

It had been months since she began collecting blood from Olivia and other female mercenaries and meticulously examining the Dark Elf’s body.

During that time, the cold winter had passed, and now the room was filled with warmth even without a fire.

“Is this what they professionally call a ‘test subject’? Life sure brings unexpected experiences.”

“Thanks to you, I can conduct my research somehow… I’m truly grateful.”

“It’s nothing. No need to be so thankful. I felt uneasy just cheering you on. So I’m actually glad to help.”

Olivia smiled as she watched Eve handling a test tube in one hand and manipulating the magic circle with the other.

She felt sorry for Eve, thinking she was suffering needlessly because of her infatuation with the Grand Duke, but she also wanted to encourage her to reap appropriate rewards for her efforts.

That’s why she willingly offered her blood and allowed her body to be examined.

It was fascinating to see the few drops of blood climbing up the test tube and boiling, and equally intriguing to watch it spread across the desk, forming mysterious patterns.

Though not as complex and bizarre as the magic circles Eve had been working with recently, they were still peculiarly shaped.

“Is it done?”

“I’m still verifying… but there’s no reaction at all. It seems it’s not working yet.”

Eve’s voice lacked energy as she answered the question, but her hands continued to move busily.

New magic, especially something meant to maintain human youth, couldn’t be achieved overnight.

Walking a path no one had trodden before made the struggle greater, not lesser.

Nevertheless, Eve had built theories from scratch, gathered materials, and proceeded step by step.

Though there was still a long way to go, she had succeeded in devising the foundational magic.

The problem lay in what came next.

Understanding the structure of elves was by no means easy, and she had experienced failure after failure.

This was to be expected.

After all, she was trying to transfer the properties of elves, who, despite similarities, were a distinctly different race.

“Will it… really work?”

“If you think it won’t work, it never will. But if you believe it will and keep at it, that’s when magic happens.”

Even among magicians, micromatter was considered fanciful, but after years of persistence, she had finally borne fruit.

Though Zion had helped, it was Eve’s power that had refined it entirely through magic.

Therefore, situations where the clues weren’t readily apparent were familiar to Eve. That’s why there was no wavering in her voice when she answered.

“I admire you. You’re truly an adult.”

“…Thank you.”

Having just tasted sweetness after a long bitterness, she was now willingly experiencing another lengthy bitterness.

Olivia couldn’t help but feel respect for such determination.

She herself would clearly avoid voluntarily drinking from such a bitter cup again.

Eve blushed at those words, seemingly embarrassed, and after a brief response, immersed herself in her research.

In the mornings, she collected blood from Olivia and other female mercenaries for research, and in the afternoons, she examined the naked Dark Elf’s body with her hands and magic.

During this process, she also envied the firm body that, despite minor wounds, was incredibly robust.

The cycle of researching and sleeping continued.

In the process, she naturally had to neglect her duties to the mercenary corps, but with the help of Olivia and the other mercenaries, she managed to get by.

Thanks to this, Eve could focus solely on her research without distraction, and except for occasional invitations, she remained holed up at home.

For several years, no less.