Chapter 93: I will save Tina

The mansion of the baron, bestowed upon Lillian by the Emperor in recognition of her merits.

From its grand scale to the sophisticated interior, and the numerous servants who managed the mansion, everything exuded an elegance that rivaled that of any other noble household.

Among all the areas, the most striking was the baron’s office.

The walls were adorned with elegant, vintage decorations, and the refined atmosphere elevated the room’s air to one of grace.

However, this calm and majestic office was now enveloped in a deep sense of gloom.

“…As expected, she’s attempting suicide.”

Lillian, sitting on the sofa, murmured in a voice tinged with a sigh.

Her gaze was fixed on the crystal orb resting on the table.

Within the orb, which displayed the real-time view of a location equipped with magical tools, a girl with white hair like a doll was repeatedly injuring herself.

Each time her attempts at self-harm failed, the shadow of despair grew darker in the girl’s clear blue eyes.

Watching this, Lillian’s heart sank heavily, becoming soaked in profound sadness.

“…Is it alright to leave Tina like this?”

Viviana, sitting across from her, asked with a sharp gaze.

Every time she saw Tina gnawing on her own tongue, Viviana’s anxiety flared, fearing the tragic fate that might repeat itself.

Lillian, in an attempt to reassure Viviana, spoke calmly.

“Tina will not be harmed. That space is surrounded by a barrier that has drained half of my divine power. No matter how much she struggles, her life won’t be in danger.”

“That’s not the problem. Tina’s mental state is deteriorating like this…!”

“No. Right now, Tina needs to face her despair directly and realize that there’s no escape.”

Lillian quietly brought the warm teacup to her lips, suppressing her complicated emotions. As the subtle fragrance of the tea seeped into her chest, her heart slowly began to calm.

“How is Tina’s mother doing?”

“She’s still bedridden. She can barely even eat.”

“…That’s to be expected. Viviana, please take good care of her mother.”

“I will, even without you saying so.”

Viviana had recently come face to face with the terrible truth: the person she had believed to be her daughter was not her biological child, and her real daughter might no longer be alive in this world.

How could one ever fathom a mother’s despair in such a situation? No matter how much one was revered as a saint, there are wounds that cannot be healed.

Lillian had heard through Viviana some time ago. During a recent conversation with Mardian, Tina had claimed to have the ‘privilege of the possessed,’ uttering this incomprehensible statement.

Even if the devil had intervened, it was impossible for a person’s thoughts to completely change and become someone else.

When Lillian considered the meaning behind the word ‘possessed,’ the accusations Tina had directed at Artasha, and her past actions, one thing became clear…

The personality currently inhabiting Tina’s body was highly likely not Tina herself.

And the one who knew this best was likely Baron Artasha.

That was why he had been unable to recover from the shock and had been bedridden for days, unable to rise.

“Lillian, what are you planning to do with Tina?”

Viviana asked, her gaze fixed on Lillian, serious and probing.

“…I told you before. I’ll tame Tina.”

“I once tried to tame Tina, but I failed. If Tina goes even further astray because of this—”

“No, Viviana, you didn’t try to tame Tina. You tried to break her.”

At Lillian’s cold words, Viviana froze for a moment. Her usually bright pink eyes were now chillingly subdued.

“Viviana, you tried to break Tina. You believed that you could see her true self amidst the ruins.”

“…Yes.”

“But as a result, she grew more dependent on the demon, whose broken heart was laid bare, and eventually, the demon seized her soul.”

“So, you’re saying you’re different?”

“Viviana, you destroyed Tina because of your own desires, but I’m trying to expel the demon for Tina’s sake.”

Viviana couldn’t offer a single rebuttal to Lillian’s cold accusation, hidden behind her emotionless smile.

“Isn’t it impossible to drive out the demon with divine power alone?”

“The demon has already taken root too deeply in Tina’s soul.”

Lillian had spent years researching demons.

Countless books once withheld by the Dark Sorcerer Kingdom of Kaladwen . From that time until now, she had poured over every single one, staying up late to devour the texts about demons.

No one on this continent possessed more knowledge about demons than she did.

“If we try to forcibly purify her with divine power now, Tina’s soul would suffer severe damage.”

“So?”

“The only one who can expel the demon from Tina’s soul is Tina herself.”

The reason the demon, unable to exert much influence in the material world, could meddle so deeply with Tina was simple. Tina had willingly offered her soul and body to the demon.

Though her past was unknown, this sinister demon must have employed cunning tricks for a long time, gradually making Tina depend on it.

As a result, Tina had come to trust the demon’s words so completely that she would not hesitate to throw her life away.

“First, I’ll make Tina stop depending on the demon.”

“How can you do that, without even being able to use divine power?”

“I’ll become Tina’s master.”

Lillian placed her hand on her chest and gave a confident smile.

“I’ll make her forget about the demon, and make her rely on me and think of nothing but me.”

“Viviana, you tried to break Tina with harsh words. The result wasn’t good.”

Lillian quietly set her teacup down and stared directly into Viviana’s eyes.

“On the other hand, Baron Artasha only gave Tina infinite love. Yet, even then, he couldn’t win her heart.”

“…So?”

“That means, neither the whip nor the carrot alone can make Tina truly dependent.”

“You intend to use both the whip and the carrot?”

“Yes. I will give her love as endless as Baron Artasha’s, but I will also thoroughly tame Tina through harsh circumstances, just as you tried.”

Viviana, who had been examining Lillian’s eyes for a long time, suddenly exuded a sharp energy, heightening the tension around them.

“I’ll ask you again, Lillian. I hope you’re not lying.”

“Go ahead.”

“Exactly what do you want to do with Tina?”

“…I’ve been saying it from the beginning.”

Lillian let out a light sigh and looked at Viviana with her wide pink eyes.

“I will save Tina.”

“I don’t want Tina to suffer either. That’s the truth.”

Her gaze was so serious, unwavering. Viviana couldn’t detect a lie in those eyes.

“I just don’t get it. Didn’t Tina do all sorts of terrible things to you? And you’re going this far to save someone like that?”

“…She did. To be honest, at first, I resented Tina a lot.”

“Yeah, I suppose so.”

Tina had made Lillian a target of scorn in the social scene, even turning her most trusted friend against her.

“Viviana-nim, during the years I spent on the battlefield, not a single day passed without me thinking of Tina.”

She couldn’t understand what she had done wrong. Why was such a beautiful girl so hostile toward her? Why did she, of all people, have to fight in this harsh battlefield, facing contempt and criticism? Not a day went by without her wondering.

Why had she been made to suffer so much because of one person, Tina?

Every day, that thought consumed her.

Even while wielding her sword on the battlefield, saving dying people and performing miracles, up until just before falling asleep, Lillian’s mind was filled only with Tina.

“Then one day, suddenly, an epiphany came to me.”

Lillian continued her story, a bright smile on her face.

“If for three years, not a single day passed without thinking of one person… could that not be love?”

“…Love?”

“Yes, it started as resentment, but the reason I became so obsessed with Tina is undoubtedly love.”

“…”

When Lillian first met Tina, she thought Tina was like a beautifully crafted doll.

Later, when Tina insulted her, she resented the hidden side beneath that appearance.

When she went to the battlefield, her heart was filled with anger toward her, and over the passing days, Tina gradually became the sole purpose in Lillian’s life.

At times, she even thought that the reason she became a saint was to meet Tina.

Until the day she returned from the battlefield, she couldn’t bear how much she longed for Tina, who had shaped her into who she was.

“Yes, I love Tina. And no matter what, I will remove the devil from her.”

“…You’re really an odd one.”

“Heh, but that doesn’t mean I only have good intentions. After I save Tina, I plan to make her repay me physically for my revenge.”

Lillian placed a finger to her cherry-colored lips, smiling seductively. It was a saintly look, yet her honesty gave Viviana a sense of trust.

‘Though, I don’t quite like that she plans to target Tina’s body in the end…’

Viviana frowned, crossed her legs, and sighed deeply.

“I’ll trust you. So you really want to save Tina, unlike me?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“But can I ask you one more thing?”

“Of course.”

“Was it really out of pure intentions that you struck Tina’s belly so mercilessly?”

“Ugh.”

“You even used your knees, but I find it hard to believe that was necessary in the process of taming her.”

“Th-that was… well…”

For a while, Lillian avoided Viviana’s sharp gaze, sweating. Eventually, she closed her eyes and shouted resolutely.

“It was a mistake! I lost my composure for a moment because of what Tina said…”

“…You.”

“You know, Viviana-nim! Tina has this strange aura that provokes a person’s sadistic tendencies!”

“…I know.”

Viviana had also felt the urge to make Tina cry several times, so she couldn’t bring herself to deny those words.

“I will never hit you like that again! I won’t use pain as a means of discipline, but as a tool for training.”

“…Hmm.”

At the sharp gaze, Lillian fidgeted, glancing around in discomfort. She quickly looked at the clock on the wall and jumped up from her seat.

“It’s about time to meet Tina! Viviana, please focus on Baron Blanc’s healing.”

Without waiting for Viviana’s response, Lillian hurriedly left the office.

After calming her chest at the door, Lillian took a short sigh and composed herself.

“I’m sorry for hurting you, Tina.”

And… I’m sorry that I’ll have to be harsh on you from now on.

If only you’d rely on me, even just a little bit…

If only you’d blindly trust me so much that you’d forget about that demon…

Then, I’ll save you.

“Of course, until then, I’ll be tormenting you quite a bit.”