episode_0004

Even after the rain had stopped,

Elaine remained kneeling with a vacant expression for a while.

No matter how much she thought about it, it was unbelievable.

The sudden downpour was like that,

and so were the multiple rainbows that appeared within it.

Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet.

The smooth transition of colors was so beautiful that it took one’s breath away for a moment.

To the extent that it erased even despair and brought forth a forgotten smile.

So, it was quite natural that the disappearing rainbow took back her smile.

Elaine raised both of her hands.

It was still hard to believe that the rain had ceased.

“……”

She hastily looked around.

Just a moment ago,

a lot of water had been falling from the sky.

But now,

not even a single puddle could be seen around her.

There was no trace left of the rain that had come.

Everything felt like a dream.

As if not a single drop of rain had fallen from the beginning.

She even wondered if she was possessed by a ghost.

The blowing wind felt unusually gentle as well.

What on earth had happened?

Why did such a thing suddenly occur?

There was only one guess.

It must have been magic.

Unless someone had used magic.

There was no other way to explain this situation.

Undoubtedly.

It seemed clear that someone, whose identity was unknown, had used magic to drive away those who tormented her and stood by.

Elaine stood up from her spot.

Her legs tingled after being knelt for a considerable time.

There were shallow wounds under her knees, but now wasn’t the time to worry about that.

She anxiously looked around.

It was to find the sorcerer who had performed a miracle, something that had never happened in her life.

It was then that she discovered a small otter made of water.

“……!”

It was about the size of her palm.

Resembling an elongated body with a long tail and four stubby legs, it resembled a cross between an otter and something else.

That tiny thing

quickly ran towards her and climbed up her leg, tickling her.

“D-don’t do that…! It tickles….”

Then, it hopped from one leg to the other, planting kisses on each knee in turn.

“How could this…!”

The pain vanished as if by magic.

Even the deep wounds quickly healed.

It was like a miracle.

In no time, he transformed into a fish, fluttering his light fins briskly, swiftly flying through the air.

And in that moment, Elaine saw it.

In front of the fish.

Someone wearing a black hood was running towards the back of the mansion.

Elaine hurried toward that place.

There was no doubt.

The miracle that had come to her today.

It must have been the doing of that suspicious person.

That man clad entirely in black, undoubtedly, was the sorcerer who had helped her.

***

It didn’t take long for Elaine to reach me.

Breathless, she looked at me without saying a word.

And after a brief silence.

She asked in a trembling voice,

“Was it you who used magic…?”

“….”

Since there was no particular intention to feign ignorance, I remained silent for the time being.

“Did you save me…?”

I simply nodded once.

“Why? Why did you help me at all?”

Half curiosity, half wariness.

Her voice was trembling.

And despite my silence.

Unperturbed by my lack of response, Elaine continued with her questions.

“Who are you…?”

It was the last question thrown out.

The most anticipated question and, at the same time, the most dreaded question.

This time, as if determined to get an answer, her blue eyes stared intently at me.

I silently removed my hood.

Just that act alone.

The amount of information conveyed was certainly not insignificant.

***

Looking at the man before her.

Elaine’s eyes widened.

Beneath the shining silver hair, two emerald eyes, filled with a glint of malice, were staring intently at her.

“You are the prince, the fallen prince…!”

Elaine couldn’t continue speaking.

Because she knew very well who the man before her was.

The fallen prince of Merseine Empire, who tormented people with all sorts of wickedness and even caused the deaths of several people.

Eos Caldevrion.

There was no mistake.

The man before her was undoubtedly the notorious fallen prince of the Merseine Empire.

Elaine took a step back without even realizing it.

It was the effect of his notoriety.

However, the reason her pupils were trembling wasn’t just out of fear.

“Why on earth would you…?”

Why did this utterly wicked man save himself?

It was because she wanted to know that more than she feared him.

“Picha, I don’t think an introduction is necessary.”

His voice was as cruel as his icy gaze.

It was something that made the hands clenched at her chest tighten with fear.

Elaine was certain.

That man came here with a purpose.

Undoubtedly, he had some kind of motive.

The fact that he saved her also seemed highly likely to be in order to fulfill that purpose.

“What do you want from me…?”

“You want to help me.”

She was actually slightly surprised by his excessive frankness.

But even so, it was just a ridiculous statement.

Help him.

How could she, a mere nobleman’s illegitimate child and a servant, possibly help a prince?

It was a statement she couldn’t understand at all.

“What exactly do you want help with?”

“I want you to heal me when I am seriously injured.”

Elaine was flabbergasted.

Heal him.

She couldn’t use magic, nor did she have any divine power.

How could she possibly heal someone else.

If she had such an ability in the first place.

She wouldn’t have been living as a servant, suffering abuse from the nobleman.

“…”

He had been rumored to be evil, but it seemed otherwise.

Seeing him keep talking nonsense.

It seemed like he might be not only evil but also insane.

So the conclusion was clear.

She was grateful for his help.

But for someone like her, who had neither status nor wealth or power.

There was no remarkable ability to help a prince.

“I appreciate your help. But I don’t think someone like me can help a prince.”

With a polite refusal, Elaine bowed her head and sincerely expressed her gratitude.

“…”

As if he had already expected such a response, the crown prince turned away without saying a word.

***

As expected.

It was not an easy task to pull in a saint.

The biggest obstacle, as expected, was the fact that she had not fully awakened her divine power. The sense of defeat that might be subtly gnawing at her, along with her modest status, would be a task I must overcome in the future. Of course, it wasn’t entirely fruitless. By driving away those who tormented her and using Aqua to provide healing, I had managed to somewhat alleviate my debts. There was no need to rush. After all, one cannot easily obtain a person’s heart. For now, the priority would be to ensure that she would no longer suffer. Then, it was indeed necessary to deal with Katia Bart, Elaine’s peculiar sister. I turned my hood inside out once again. Then, as swiftly and discreetly as possible, I made my way to Katia’s chamber.

Mana had already been considerably depleted. Therefore, I used transparency sparingly, only when necessary. Not a single soul, from the maids to the manservants and even the steward, noticed me even as I passed right by their side. Click— As soon as I closed the door upon entering the chamber, Katia’s mouth was already muffled. It was the result of Aqua being sent in ahead of time. She sat frozen in terror, unable to move, looking at me with a face contorted in fear. Perhaps she was in the middle of drinking tea; there was a pristine white teacup on the table in front of her, emitting wisps of steam.

“Uh! Uh!” Due to Aqua permeating her body, she couldn’t even stand up. Her desperate screams echoed only within her throat. Looking down at her, I slowly removed my hood. This unexpected moment, the appearance of a sinister uninvited guest in such an absurd place, would surely leave a lasting impression. Her already pale face turned ashen as she recognized my identity without needing confirmation. Seeing her, I pressed my index finger against my lips. There was no need for a “shh.” Just that gesture alone made Katia break out into a cold sweat, nodding frantically like a wooden doll, without screaming or speaking first.

Infamy is such a thing.

When it accumulates sufficiently, there’s no need to make an effort. It naturally draws out specific behaviors from others.

Moreover,

By rendering them unable to move their bodies or even produce a sound, I implied that I could kill them anytime with just a thought.

The fear she feels now

Would be as intense as that of a deer waiting for death, its throat in the jaws of a lion.

I sat across from the trembling Katia.

“I won’t allow any remarks. Nod your head if you understand.”

Katia obediently nodded her head.

You know well who I am.”

She squeezed a smile with trembling eyes.

“Do not torment Elaine anymore. Dismiss the servant Anna. Then sincerely apologize to Elaine and treat her like a younger sister from now on.”

At the end of each sentence, her head immediately nodded. Sometimes two, sometimes three times in rapid succession.

“If you disobey me or if today’s events leak outside, it won’t end with just words next time. Do you understand?”

With a tearful face, Katia vigorously nodded, using all her strength, trembling all over.