Chapter 3

It was truly different from the original.

“Honestly, I don’t have a reason to refuse. As you can see, I’m being treated like this.”

“I can see that all too well, and it’s very unpleasant.”

“If I were to go with you, could I stay a few more days?”

I asked.

Isaac snorted as if he understood.

“Is there something you want to do?”

“Hahaha.”

“……If it’s your decision. So, can I take it as acceptance?”

I added solemnly.

“I’d like to meet one more person for the last time.”

“You mean Retilia?”

“Yes. I want to ensure her safety first.”

Safety first, no matter what.

He laughed in satisfaction at my words.

“Of course. But we are all sincere about you, so I assure you there’s nothing for you to worry about.”

Why are they sincere?

Leaving behind words I couldn’t understand, Isaac disappeared from the room, asking me to wait a moment.

‘……Huh.’

Left alone, I slapped my own cheek. Smack.

“Ouch!”

And I rolled onto the bed, overwhelmed by the throbbing pain.

❖ ❖ ❖

“May I ask why you came without any notice?”

The Duke, sitting across in the reception room, asked Retilia.

Not long ago, the memory was still fresh—the moment she first approached, promising to guarantee the safety of Kolhart’s merchant guild.

– Are you serious? You people, with our merchant guild?

– It shouldn’t be a bad deal. I’ve heard quite a few employees have been dying on the outskirts lately.

As Retilia said, those responsible for supplying goods to the capital had been dying en masse recently.

It was already a headache, but how did they know and came to propose a deal first? Even from Hadenberg.

Just that fact alone had already stirred up the social circles.

“If it’s related to the merchant guild, you should have some idea… Are you planning to make a final decision?”

“That too, soon. We’ll send a message with the exact date.”

“Then did you come today for another reason?”

Retilia moved the teacup on the table aside. Her golden eyes gleamed coldly as she spoke.

“I heard you have a daughter.”

“That’s right. As you might have heard, she’s a child I wouldn’t hesitate to show off anywhere.”

Though it might be puzzling for her to suddenly inquire about his daughter, the Duke answered obediently.

Retilia declared.

“I want to accept your daughter as one of us.”

“……!”

The Duke gasped.

To think Saren would become a member of Hadenberg.

In the history of the Ruspertu Empire, there were very few ability users, and among them were five who boasted unparalleled power, Hadenberg.

Having first proposed the deal was already a point of pride, but the additional condition was even more astonishing.

The five were only known themselves. If it became known that they were accepting someone else within the noble circle, the entire nation would be abuzz.

‘It must be because our Saren is an ability user…!’

Saren showed signs of awakening as an ability user. The Duke believed that was why they wanted to accept Saren as one of their own.

Barely stopping his delusions, the Duke nodded.

“V-very well!”

“Then it’s settled.”

“Truly a good choice, Hadenberg! Not just because she’s my daughter, but our Saren is truly a lovely and wise child. She will awaken as an ability user that will greatly help you!”

The Duke couldn’t hide his excitement. Ignoring him, who couldn’t stop bragging about his daughter, Retilia stood up.

“That’s all for the main topic. I’ll be going back now.”

“At least let me show you my daughter…”

“Retilia.”

While the Duke was startled by Isaac’s sudden appearance in the reception room, Retilia greeted him with complete composure. You’re here?

Isaac nodded.

“The talk?”

“Just finished.”

“Then that’s good. Let’s go.”

“W-wait a moment! Hadenberg!”

“See you on the next final transaction day.”

The Duke hurriedly got up to hold them back, but they disappeared without looking back.

“……Ha!”

The Duke, left standing alone, let out a hollow laugh.

He couldn’t believe what had just happened to him. More precisely, the proposal Retilia had made to him.

‘To be a member of Hadenberg…!’

His purple eyes were filled with delight and ecstasy.

Since it was said by none other than Retilia, the representative figure, it must be true. Besides, it was a proposal never made to anyone before.

Since they first appeared and were officially recognized by the Emperor himself, they had only ever been five. They never let anyone else inside their line.

And that ‘Hadenberg’ directly proposed to bring Saren Kolhart into their line.

‘Yes, this is not the time.’

Unable to contain his joy, he immediately left the reception room.

He had to inform his beloved daughter of this news right away.

❖ ❖ ❖

Isaac reappeared not long after, with a new person.

Tap-

A woman stepped in. As her golden eyes met mine, they gradually widened.

The woman, who seemed about 170 cm tall, was dressed not in the common dresses found here but in white pants.

Her attire, which overall felt like a uniform, and her distinctive appearance.

She was exactly as I remembered ‘Retilia.’

“……Shunen.”

“Oh, hello.”

I awkwardly bowed my head in greeting. Retilia, who approached me, murmured in a trembling voice.

“My God, this……”

The sentence that seemed to end with ‘how long has it been,’ blurred.

Retilia’s face hardened as soon as she saw mine.

“……Who did this?”

Why is the focus there again?

I broke into a cold sweat at the unpredictable reaction.

Isaac dryly commented as if asking if she didn’t already know.

“You already know, don’t you? Retilia.”

“Go down right now and…”

“No, wait a moment.”

Feeling déjà vu, I interrupted once again.

The reason for Retilia’s anger was still a mystery, but the situation itself was already a mess from the start.

‘Originally, you shouldn’t even know of my existence, right?!’

Even shouting brought no answer. Retilia looked as if she knew everything, and Isaac… hmm.

‘He looks like he’s about to tear someone in half and throw them to opposite ends of the Empire.’

……I could easily imagine him grinding the person who slapped me in the air and smiling.

I quietly ignored that fact and changed the subject.

“So, you came looking for me, not my sister?”

“Yes…… Sister?”

“Yes. Saren Kolhart.”

“……Is she… someone you care about?”

Retilia’s expression awkwardly stiffened. Her mouth twitched as her smile distorted.

‘Whether it’s true or not, nothing good will happen to that sister of mine.’

Especially if I answered no, she’d probably dispose of her without hesitation.

‘If it’s Saren…’

After all, she’s a character I created. Although a strange person possessed her, she was still my reader, and such thoughts crossed my mind.

“Even if the world splits in two, that would never happen.”

Not that I’m going to do her any favors, though.

Their faces relaxed significantly at my utterly calm tone. Isaac smiled brightly, saying, “Right?”

“But you hate killing, don’t you?”

“That’s true, but…”

“But you like teasing.”

He smiled mischievously.

What, how do you know me so well? It was strange from the beginning that he knew my name, but now it was a bit scary.

“When you leave, we’ll prepare a stage that satisfies you. How about it?”

“And come with us. We’re serious, Shunen. We’ll really grant you anything.”

Though it was a shocking offer, my deliberation was short, and my decision was quick.

Just from these words, I knew they wouldn’t kill me, and besides, the first offer was appealing.

I nodded.

“Yes.”

Thus, I gained the strongest backing in the world and also a grace period where I could finally hurl the curses I’d been keeping inside right to their faces. Hooray.

Many faces flashed before my eyes one by one. The Duke, who wasn’t even a father, the strange person who possessed Saren, the maids who subtly looked down on me…

‘I’ll show you the terror of a person whose mind has snapped.’

My escape is an escape encouraged by the strongest beings in the world!

❖ ❖ ❖

“Saren! Saren, my daughter!”

“Father?”

She jumped up from her seat, having been waiting for the negotiation results in her room.

“Is there good news?”

“They, they made a proposal!”

“A proposal?”

“Yes!”

The Duke firmly grasped Saren’s shoulders and met her gaze.

“They want to make you one of them!”

“……What?”

Saren gasped. She quickly asked.

“M-me?”

“Yes! My daughter, Saren Kolhart, they said they want to accept you as a member of Hadenberg!”

Emphasizing several times that the protagonist was indeed ‘Saren,’ the Duke’s words made Saren’s eyes widen. Her amethyst-like, brilliant violet eyes filled with emotion and joy.

“Hadenberg…! Did they really say that? That they’d accept me into Hadenberg?”

“Even if you can’t believe it, it’s true. I was just as surprised, hahaha!”

Despite her repeated questioning, the Duke couldn’t hide his joy and laughed heartily.

“What did I tell you? I said you were different from such lowly, baseless things.”

“I can’t believe it. Really, me…!”

“It must be because of your ability. Even if you haven’t awakened yet, you will soon, and they must have seen your potential!”

“That’s right! Yes, because I’m an ability user.”

Saren covered her mouth with both hands. Her excitement overflowed.

“Hurry, spread the word, Father. Tell everyone!”

“Yes. That would be good. A new member of Hadenberg, it must be told to everyone!”

“What’s important is that the new member is me, right?”

“Oh, of course. Haha!”

Despite Saren’s tone, which feigned disappointment, the Duke laughed heartily and immediately summoned the butler to spread the news.

And the next day.

‘The daughter of the Kolhart Duke family, Saren Kolhart, becomes a member of Hadenberg.’

This news stirred the social circles and the entire Empire from the morning.

However, there was just one problem.

“……Fools.”

Retilia chuckled at the words printed in large letters on the newspaper.

Thud-

The newspaper, discarded without hesitation, rolled along the street and was mercilessly crumpled under the wheels of a passing carriage.

“They’ll find out soon enough.”

That Retilia never specified that the ‘daughter’ was Saren.