Chapter 10.3

Jeras brought me to the temple and immediately returned to the palace. There were mountains of things I wanted to say, things I had to say, but I couldn’t hold him back. His words about not being able to trust himself were deeply embedded in my heart.

He was right. I didn’t trust Jeras. I was afraid he would suspect me, afraid he wouldn’t believe my words.

I was terrified of what might happen if someone as perceptive as him discovered my true identity, so even though I had several opportunities to speak, I couldn’t bring myself to say anything.

Three days had passed since then, but there was no word from Jeras. Instead, I heard about the palace atmosphere through Father, and it was somewhat different from what I expected.

Aside from Kieryk’s health deteriorating rapidly to the point where he couldn’t leave his bed, the palace atmosphere wasn’t much different from usual. Father didn’t even know that a demon disguised as a priest had attacked the Empress and Jeras.

With so many watching eyes, hadn’t even a rumor spread? But I soon remembered the maids who followed Empress Florese and understood. They were terrified and busy watching the Empress’s mood. The Empress had silenced them, and those who feared her wouldn’t dare breathe a word.

Jeras too might find himself in a difficult position if he rashly raised suspicions about the Empress being connected to demons.

‘So what is Jeras doing?’

Not knowing the exact situation was frustrating. This indefinite waiting was torturous. The impatience to quickly stop the Empress’s plan made it difficult to maintain composure. Is this what it feels like to have your blood run dry?

“Haah…”

“Eloe, is something wrong? You’ve been sighing since earlier.”

Siliya took out a teacup and placed it in front of me. As she poured lemon-colored tea into the cup, a sweet and sour fragrance spread.

Besides carving wood with Sion, Siliya had various hobbies she could enjoy indoors. Recently, she seemed to have taken an interest in making tea by drying flowers and herbs.

Sion appeared to give serious taste evaluations, but since I wasn’t particularly interested in this field, I just ate whatever was given to me with appreciation.

The fragrant aroma lifted my mood briefly, but I soon became gloomy again.

“Did things not go well when you went to the palace with Jeras?”

“It’s not that things didn’t go well… I acted rather selfishly that day. I broke promises too.”

“I don’t think you would have done that without reason. Did you have a proper conversation?”

“I did explain. But as you know, Unnie… there are limits without mentioning Empress Florese’s plan.”

Siliya nodded silently at my lament. I was about to sigh out of habit but swallowed it.

“I was planning to discuss solutions while improving Kieryk’s condition. That’s why I prepared the artifact. I encountered a demon disguised as a priest in front of the Empress’s palace. It tried to attack me, but Jeras helped.”

“Were you hurt anywhere?”

“No. It was at a level I could handle alone. But I had told Jeras there would be absolutely no danger.”

“Jeras must have been very surprised.”

“I couldn’t even properly thank Jeras, who came running because he was worried about me. And… Jeras noticed. That I had known about Empress Florese’s plan from before but was pretending not to know. Maybe I should have just told him everything from the beginning.”

I remembered his reliable back protecting me from Empress Florese despite his anger. His warmth staying by my side until the end, even though he was disappointed that I didn’t trust him.

“Eloe, you really like Jeras a lot, don’t you?”

“Huh, what?”

At the out-of-the-blue comment, my face flushed regardless of my complicated feelings. Siliya set down her teacup with a gentle smile.

“Your inability to speak honestly, your regret and self-blame—it’s all because you like Jeras. It’s also for Jeras’s sake.”

“Is that so…? It’s true that I couldn’t speak carelessly about Kieryk because I was afraid Jeras would suffer…”

“Wasn’t Jeras’s anger toward you from the same feelings?”

I grasped the teacup with both hands. Siliya continued in a soft voice.

“You both carry heavy and numerous burdens. Eloe, you knew the whole story, so you wanted to stop it for certain, and Jeras wants to keep you safe. Especially since you’ve been in danger many times. There might be unavoidable circumstances due to the complex situation. Still, it’s a process of trying for each other’s sake, and sometimes it’s okay to rely on each other. Especially you, Eloe.”

“Me? Why me?”

“Sion mentioned it before, didn’t he? You try to solve everything by yourself. You don’t know how precarious you look to those around you.”

“If I can suffer alone and everyone else can be comfortable, that’s good…”

“What if something happens to you? How would the people left behind feel?”

I had no words to answer. I moved my mouth wordlessly before hanging my head.

Siliya patted my head.

“I’m not trying to scold you. I wanted you to understand; that’s why I’m saying this. Me too, and Sion too. We’re all people who would come running with both hands and feet raised if you asked for help. Jeras goes without saying.”

“…Still, somehow, I feel like I’m being a burden when I receive help.”

I was lucky. I met good people and grew up without abuse. But I had never created relationships where I could give and receive unconditional love. I had to take care of my own body, and sometimes I had to give up my share or endure things.

I wasn’t resentful. I thought it was natural. No matter how kindly and gently they treated me, everyone was still strangers in the end.

After reaching a certain age, it was more comfortable for me not to receive help as much as possible.

“This is my first time experiencing this, so I’m not sure what to do.”

“You can do it slowly, one step at a time. Don’t be impatient. No one’s going to scold you for not being able to do it.”

Well… except maybe Jeras, Siliya added playfully. The gloomy atmosphere seemed to lighten just a little with her humorous tone and expression.

I could feel Siliya’s heart trying to cheer me up somehow. To repay that feeling, I decided to tell her about a line Jeras had said, half-jokingly, half-playfully.

“But Sister, have you ever heard this line directly?”

“What line?”

Ahem! I cleared my throat and stared at Siliya with intensity in my eyes. Siliya’s eyes, understanding my intention to imitate Jeras, filled with anticipation and sparkled.

I pictured Jeras in my mind and smirked with one corner of my mouth, trying to smile as wickedly as possible.

“I’ll have to punish the bad child who tells lies.”

“…My goodness. He said that when he was angry?”

“He said it jokingly when he was a little less angry. Phew, at least he didn’t call me ‘my cunning little cat.’ If he had called me that, I really would have lost my hands and feet right there.”

“Um, excuse me, Eloe…?”

I was rubbing my goosebump-covered arms when Siliya’s expression became strange. Suddenly, I felt a chilling presence behind me.

Wait, surely not… right?

“If you wanted a pet name, you should have said so. My cunning little cat.”

“Kyaaaah!”

“Where do you think you’re going? My cunning little cat.”

“Don’t, don’t, don’t, don’t do it! Don’t do it! Don’t!”

“Don’t you know that when you say don’t, it makes me want to do it more? My cunning little cat.”

Aaaah! As soon as I covered my ears with both hands, Jeras forcibly pulled them away. Help me! Save me! No, kill me! I tried to ask Siliya for help, but she had already disappeared from the kitchen.

Liar! You said if I asked for help, you’d come running with both hands and feet raised!

“My cunning little cat, are you ready to be punished?”

Jeras whispered in my ear. I was so ashamed and embarrassed that my face was about to explode rather than just burn. I had never wanted to die as desperately as I did at this moment in my life.

I tried to change the subject, not knowing what to do.

“Are you feeling better now? I’m really sorry about that day. I didn’t go knowing there would be demons.”

“If it could be resolved simply, I wouldn’t have gotten angry in the first place. Well, if the Princess does just one thing I ask, my anger might be resolved.”

“Just tell me. This time, really! I’ll really do what you say.”

It was a mistake to speak hastily, hoping Jeras’s heart would soften even a little. I momentarily forgot that Jeras wasn’t just any ordinary crazy person, and the price was devastatingly cruel.

“Meow for me.”

“…Is that what you want to hear?”

“Would I ask you to do something I don’t want to hear? Don’t want to do it? See. The Princess won’t listen to me again this time.”

“No, no! It’s not that!”

Seeing Jeras’s sullen expression, I couldn’t refuse anymore. I hung my head low and mumbled smaller than a mosquito’s buzz.

“…Meow.”

“Do it properly. I couldn’t hear you.”

“Ugh, really! Meow! Meow! Meow meow!”

“Kahahaha!”

What kind of humiliation is this?

Unable to bear the shame, I let out a lion’s roar. Jeras burst into laughter. He couldn’t even breathe and kept giggling, then finally grabbed the table and sat down on the floor.

Stop laughing already! You’re the one who made me do it! I slapped his shaking shoulders.

With tears hanging at the corners of his eyes, Jeras said:

“Now that I’ve seen the Princess’s cute side, shall we get to the main point?”

 

***

 

Jeras, Siliya, Sion, Grandpa Mason, I, and even Nia all gathered in one place.

While Jeras was picking a fight with Sion, I was trying to stop him, and Siliya was having a casual conversation with Grandpa Mason, Nia arrived. She said she had received word from Jeras beforehand.

“Now that everyone is here, let’s begin immediately. You’ve probably heard rumors at least once that the demons’ recent movements are unusual. Outside the capital, it’s chaos with sporadic battles against demons. The inside of the capital is by no means safe either. I recently discovered, albeit belatedly, that demons had been disguising themselves as priests to enter and exit the palace.”

“Is such a thing… possible? Even if they’re priests, not just anyone can enter and exit the palace, can they?”

“I thought the same as you, old man, until I got hit in the back of the head. And the problem is more complex than expected. Let’s hear the details from the Princess. I don’t know much either.”

Jeras gently pushed my back. When our eyes met, he playfully winked at me. I stood up from my chair. Everyone’s gaze turned toward me. The pressure wasn’t overwhelming. It was probably because these were people I liked and trusted.

I can do this well. After taking a long, deep breath, I opened my mouth calmly.

“Empress Florese has been using black magic for a long time. At first, it was a means to maintain her beautiful appearance, but not anymore. The Empress is trying to achieve a dangerous goal through black magic.”

“It’s related to… Kieryk, isn’t it?”

“Yes, Teacher. The Empress’s goal is to make the First Prince the Crown Prince, and ultimately the Emperor.”

“As expected…”

Everyone accepted my words without much agitation. Since the Empress had always been obsessed with the position of Empress, it seemed to be within the predictable range. Jeras, whom I was particularly worried about, showed no reaction with an expressionless face. He must have come prepared with firm resolve.

I put strength into my voice as if to repay Jeras’s resolve.

“Jeras is the biggest obstacle to the Empress. So she tried to eliminate Jeras. After failing, she must have thought she couldn’t achieve her goal through conventional means. The demons probably approached the Empress, who wanted a sure method, and proposed a deal.”

“The demons wouldn’t have proposed a deal beneficial to humans.”

Grandpa Mason said quietly. His calm voice made the atmosphere even heavier. My heart also grew heavier, making it difficult to speak.

But now was the time to act. The sooner we moved, the higher the chance of saving Kieryk.

“The deal is that a demon will resurrect using the First Prince’s body as a medium, and in return, make the First Prince Emperor.”

“She accepted that deal? She sold out her son?”

“How could she do such an absurd thing…”

“…Blinded by greed, she made a foolish choice…”

“I can’t believe it… Eloe, how did you find out?”

“As I learned light magic, my divine power grew stronger along with it. I used to have prophetic dreams occasionally, but they’ve become increasingly clear… Actually, I could have spoken up earlier. I think I should have. I made the situation worse. I’m sorry.”

“There’s no need to apologize. It’s not the Princess’s fault.”

Jeras’s hand rested on my head. My gaze naturally turned to him.

His touch was affectionate, but his expression wasn’t very bright. His lips, pressed tightly in a straight line, seemed to tremble slightly as if he was holding back anger.

He has every right to be angry. Rather, I was surprised to see Jeras trying to calmly assess the situation. It wouldn’t have been strange if he had rushed out saying he’d kill the Empress immediately.

“The fact that the Princess is bringing this up means the situation has gotten much worse.”

“When I went to the palace a few days ago, I saw black fog. When I followed the fog, it led to the palace where the Empress stays. Judging by the recent news that people working at the Flowers Palace have gone missing… it seems the resurrection ritual has begun in earnest.”

“I see… Now everything fits together…”

Nia muttered quietly. Our gazes turned toward Nia. Nia continued with an unusually dark expression. There seemed to be another serious matter I didn’t know about. I listened tensely.

“Kieryk’s memory is unstable. What I know… starts from your birthday party, but the symptoms might have begun even before then… My magic also bounced off, so I told Jeras to examine his soul.”

If there were problems with memory, it meant Kieryk’s ego was already shaking. So that’s why Jeras went crazy after seeing Kieryk’s soul and recklessly charged at the demons, getting severely injured.

Just thinking about that time makes my heart sink even now. I shook my head to clear the image of bloodied Jeras from my mind.

Now that everyone understood the situation, it was time to talk about future plans.

“If the ritual succeeds, not only Rivai but the entire Empire will become a wasteland overrun by demons. To stop the ritual and save the First Prince, I need everyone’s help. Please help me.”

The temple was quiet after everyone left to carry out their assigned tasks. I sat in the chapel, blankly staring at the goddess statue.

Even while using divine power, I hadn’t thought deeply about the existence of gods or truly relied on them. But today, somehow, I felt like praying.

Please let my plan succeed. I hope it becomes a happy ending where no one gets hurt and everyone becomes happy.

“Where did the Princess go, who rattled off explanations as if she had memorized them?”

“Jeras? You haven’t left yet?”

“I still have work left to do. I’m not slacking off, so don’t worry, Commander.”

With a light voice, warm arms embraced me. Commander, he says. Even knowing it’s a joke, it’s an embarrassing title.

What nerve he has. I had been tense the whole time, so my body was weak, and I obediently stayed in Jeras’s embrace.

Jeras rested his chin on the top of my head. Ugh. His chin was pointy, and it hurt.

“You’re heavy. If you’re going to do this, just leave quickly. We don’t have time. What if the demons arrive before you do?”

“Aren’t you sad, Princess? You won’t see me for quite a while once I leave.”

“Where do I have the luxury to feel sad or not right now?”

“How heartless. I should call you a heartless cat instead of a cunning cat.”

“Stop teasing me already… Wait, Jeras! Why are you doing this, really?”

Jeras made me want to hide in a mouse hole with his cat talk, completely distracted me, then interlaced his fingers and held my hand. His fingers, tightly intertwined between mine, were very hot. Then he gently pressed his cheek against mine as if giving me a cheek kiss.

“Just let me stay like this for a moment. Just for a moment.”

I couldn’t see Jeras’s expression because of our position, but I could tell what kind of expression he had just from his low voice.

Jeras acted like nothing bothers him, but if it were me, I would have been shocked and panicking. Just thinking about Sion or Jeras being offered as a demon’s sacrifice makes my vision go dark.

“Princess, do you know why I got angry at the palace?”

“Um… because I didn’t tell you important things?”

“That’s right too, but it’s not the perfect answer.”

“Then… because I didn’t trust you?”

“That’s also right, but not the answer.”

If it’s right, then that’s the answer, but what does it mean that it’s right but not the answer? Regardless of the reason, the fact that I did wrong doesn’t change, so I only grumbled internally.

Jeras pulled his cheek away and let go of my hand.

“I got angry because I thought the Princess didn’t consider me important. You hide many things, don’t keep promises, and give handmade gifts directly to other men.”

My shoulders flinched with each word Jeras said. Wait… isn’t he saying that all my recent behavior annoyed him?

“I’m sorry…”

“You do that even when I’m next to you, so who knows what will happen when I’m away.”

“I won’t cause trouble. Really. Even if I wanted to, I don’t have time…”

“Ah. So you’d cause trouble if you had time?”

“That’s not what I meant…”

“Anyway, if you’ve committed a crime, you must be punished.”

Wasn’t the terrible shame he made me taste earlier punishment enough?

Jeras, this guy, was quite a vicious bastard. Seeing him say that line again, he must have decided to tease me.

I was about to beg him not to make me meow, to make me do something else instead, when something slipped onto the fourth finger of my left hand.

It was a ring with an oval gem set in a black band. The gem sparkled beautifully, changing colors constantly like an aurora in the sky. Looking closely, it wasn’t a simple gem but had something truly aurora-like contained within, rippling inside.

This isn’t an ordinary ring. It was an artifact.

“Don’t take it off your hand for even a moment. That’s your punishment.”

Looking now, I noticed that Jeras’s finger also wore a ring of the same design.

What kind of artifact is this? Since Jeras brought it, it’s definitely not an ordinary artifact. Well, there are no ordinary artifacts to begin with. Was there a ring-type artifact in the original story?

I desperately tried to turn my thoughts elsewhere, but it was useless. My face was already on the verge of burning up and disappearing.

‘A ring already, isn’t this moving too fast…!’

“Why no answer? Don’t you like it?”

“It’s not that I don’t like it…”

“Then? Are you embarrassed? Too happy?”

“You, you! Go quickly! There’s no teleportation circle to get there directly, so you have to travel there yourself! Hurry, hurry and go!”

I flailed my arms wildly to shake off Jeras and jumped up. The sound of Jeras chuckling stuck to my ears.

Ugh… I was clutching my heart that wouldn’t calm down due to Jeras’s sudden action when Jeras’s face suddenly popped out.

“Why, why, why are you doing this? Aren’t you going to leave?”

“I wanted to see the Princess’s face before leaving. I won’t see you for quite a while.”

Jeras, who answered naturally, cupped my cheeks with both hands and lifted my face. I’m embarrassed. My face must look terrible.

I couldn’t muster the courage to look at Jeras directly, so I squeezed my eyes shut. Thump, thump, thump. The sound of my heartbeat was loud.

“At this rate, your face will burst. Why don’t you calm down?”

“What can I do when I can’t calm down… Go quickly before my face bursts.”

“Fine. I just need to leave, right?”

Jeras’s voice became sulky. Immediately, the hands cupping my face fell away. The presence I felt right in front of me disappeared.

…Did he leave? Is he gone? I opened one eye drowsily. Through my blurry vision, Jeras was smiling annoyingly. He didn’t leave!

“I’ll definitely bring back the sword the Princess mentioned, so don’t worry. I’ll be back.”

Kiss. Jeras kissed my ring and left the temple with his characteristic swaggering gait. I just watched Jeras’s retreating figure before slowly sinking down. Then I covered my face with both hands.

Why is he being so smooth…! You weren’t this kind of character, Jeras!

 

***

 

“…Ugh.”  

The headache was so severe that even opening his eyes was difficult. Kieryk, who had tried to get up from bed, gave up and let his body sink back down.  

There wasn’t a shred of strength in his body, and the pounding in his head only worsened. The pain was so unbearable he almost wished he could split his skull open.  

He had always lived with mild headaches, like a chronic condition, but never to this degree. Despite receiving treatment almost daily from the skilled priest the empress had introduced him to, there was no improvement.  

“Sigh…”  

Kieryk pressed a hand to his forehead, deep in thought. Could there be something wrong with his brain? Were the occasional lapses in his memory because of it?  

He tried to recall what had happened at Eloe’s birthday party, what exactly he had done, but nothing came to him. Not a single memory.  

Nia, who had promised to reconstruct his memories, had given no word. She was the most skilled mage alive—it was impossible she had failed.  

Perhaps Jeras had already realized something was wrong with his body. That man wasn’t the type to be swayed by petty feelings like jealousy. If Kieryk had harmed Eloe during one of his memory gaps, and if that was why Jeras had hidden her away under the guise of protecting her…  

‘I don’t understand any of this.’  

With a dark expression, Kieryk forced himself upright. Sweat beaded his pale cheeks and dripped down.  

As he groped at the nightstand for a handkerchief, his hand brushed against something. The brooch Jeras had given him. At the time, he had been too agitated to even consider examining it.  

It was an artifact Eloe herself had made.  

Aside from her inherited blessing of mana and light magic, she had a knack for artifact creation. He wondered how much her skill had grown.  

Kieryk studied the brooch carefully. Like her other creations, it appeared quite ordinary at first glance. Opening the back panel, he found light mana surging within. Upon closer inspection, a bead set at the center allowed mana to circulate continuously.  

The greatest weakness of magical items was the need for periodic mana recharging—but this one required none.  

Just as Kieryk gazed into the light mana with interest, faint black shadows leaked from his body. They writhed like living things, trying to force their way back into him.  

At that moment, the light mana spilling from the brooch wrapped around him like a shield.  

“Why all of a sudden…!”  

The headache he thought had subsided came roaring back. This time, a crushing pain gripped his heart as well. Kieryk bent forward, unable even to scream. The brooch slipped from his grasp.  

The shadows seized the chance, surging into the space where the protective light had faded. Like flames devouring everything in their path, the massive darkness loomed before his eyes.  

— You’ve brought something troublesome. Not that it matters. You’ll never escape me.  

“…You, h-hah, what are you…?”  

Forcing his eyes open, Kieryk stared at the shadow. The voice slithered like creeping darkness, resonating from a fathomless abyss.  

It was the very same voice he always heard in his dreams, or when the pain in his head became unbearable. He had thought it a hallucination brought on by illness—but it wasn’t.  

— You’ll find out soon enough. Explaining it now is bothersome. But if I said I came to help you, would you believe me?  

“You’re… here to help me?”  

— Of course. Your desires are the source of my strength. The darker and harder to achieve they are, the stronger I become. I was drawn here by your desires.  

The shadow caressed Kieryk’s face. It should have had no substance, yet the chilling sensation on his skin was vivid.  

Kieryk tried to recoil, but his body felt pinned in place. The shadow laughed again, its voice a grating echo.  

— You want to deny the filth of your desires. How predictable, humans are all the same. But you know as well as I do—that’s no solution. Repressed desires always find a way to erupt.  

“…Stop it.”  

— Don’t you want to have that girl?  

Kieryk’s eyes widened. The shadow mimed stroking his head, as if it already knew everything.  

— Isn’t it unfair? Unjust? You were the first to show her affection. And yet that other one—who never seemed interested—now overtakes you, trying to swallow her whole. As always, the shining things fall into his hands: this empire, and now the girl you loved first.  

“I said stop it!”  

— But have you ever considered what the truth might be?  

The demon whispered. Kieryk raised his head to face the shadow.  

What had been only formless darkness now bore a mouth—or rather, a gaping hole that moved slowly as it spoke.  

— Jeras acts as he pleases. Unlike you, he never hesitates to seize what he wants. And once he has it, he never lets go.  

“…Jeras isn’t like that. He doesn’t see Eloe as an object.”  

— Oh, anyone can say the right words to her face. But Jeras intends to monopolize her. Isn’t it already happening? You don’t even know where she is, whether she’s alive, while you waste away in bed.  

Kieryk had no reply. Because it was true. Since the party, Eloe had vanished without a trace.  

His eyes darted toward the brooch, half-buried in the sheets.  

— She made that herself, didn’t she? Perhaps through it, she’s reaching out to you for help. Begging you to save her from Jeras, who clings to her so obsessively.  

“Did Jeras really… imprison Eloe? No, that can’t be…”  

— Still clinging to faith? Foolish. Recall what he told you.  

‘I want to claim Eloe for myself… Watching her tears me apart inside. I even thought of locking her away somewhere no one could find her.’*

The words Jeras had spoken as he handed over the brooch replayed in Kieryk’s mind. His brow furrowed. The demon’s logic was seamless, its whispers striking directly at the core of his desire.  

Meanwhile, his trust in Jeras rested on nothing more than blind faith, with no proof. But what if Jeras truly had…?  

As Kieryk clawed at his hair, torn with doubt, the demon laughed mockingly.  

— Hopeless. It seems you’re destined to regret only when she’s irreversibly Jeras’s. Pitiful indeed.  

At that moment, an image burned into Kieryk’s mind: Eloe in a pure white dress, smiling radiantly at Jeras’s side.  

That dazzling smile, not meant for him. And with Jeras, of all people. Why? Why not him?  

He couldn’t accept it. His crumbling heart spiraled out of control, and as it shattered, the shadow grew ever more defined.  

— Accept me. And everything you desire will be yours. Do not hesitate! Wield my power to your heart’s content!  

“Ugh… Aaaaagh!”  

The shadow was sucked into Kieryk’s body. His screams of agony filled the room as he writhed. But no one came to help.  

Blood burst from his eyes, scarlet drops dripping down his face.  

“At last!”  

Outside the door, Empress Florese whispered with delight as she heard Kieryk’s cries.  

Until now, she had been frustrated by his stubborn will resisting the vessel of Agtatius.

But now, it was over. With only the final ritual left, Agtatius’s soul would fully descend into Kieryk’s body. Then their contract would be complete, and Kieryk would rule the empire.  

Eyes gleaming, the empress hurried her steps.  

From within the chamber, Kieryk’s screams continued to echo without end.