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Chapter 3
Damian and Katrina did not get along.
It had been decided the moment Katrina entered this mansion holding the hand of Damian’s mother, Arabella.
“Has your throat gotten better?”
“You hardly spoke last time. I thought you’d gone mute.”
Damian mocked Katrina with a picture-perfect smile.
Just like always.
Three years ago, and even now.
“…So, Damian, you’re saying I need your permission to leave this house?”
“You understand correctly.”
Unbelievable.
She wanted to ask why she needed his permission just to leave the house, but she knew it would be pointless.
Just endure it.
There was nothing to gain from fighting with him.
“Then give me permission.”
“Where are you planning to go?”
Do I really have to report every little thing?
“I need to go to the bank. Is that a problem?”
Damian smiled.
“Not at all.”
“Then…”
“Have a safe trip.”
The permission came surprisingly easily.
What?
Wasn’t he saying she had to ask for permission because he intended to stop her from going out?
“Prepare the carriage according to Katrina’s wishes.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
…In any case, it worked out well for Katrina.
Though she couldn’t shake off the uneasy feeling.
“Have a safe trip, Katrina.”
…She had a very bad feeling about this.
In this world, there existed things known as ancient relics.
Artifacts from ancient times that possessed mysterious powers.
Among them, the greatest was the Wish Stone.
According to legend, it was a stone capable of granting any wish.
The relic had been discovered just before Katrina returned home.
They said I could return by using the Wish Stone.
The Wish Stone was guarded in rotation every ten years by the imperial family and the Four Great Houses.
At present, it was being kept by the House of Rockpenheim.
It had been in Rockpenheim’s possession before Katrina returned, and since the ten-year period had not yet ended, it should still be there.
“We’ve arrived, my lady.”
Katrina bit her lower lip.
The current Grand Duke of Rockpenheim was Silas.
Which meant that if she wanted to reach the Wish Stone, she had no choice but to meet him.
Four years ago, Silas had been imprisoned in the worst prison on earth.
Of course, it had been Katrina who put him there.
It was because of the quest, but…
Among everyone Katrina knew, Silas had been the biggest troublemaker, so it hadn’t been difficult.
He should have been released by now.
His sentence had been three years.
And Silas hates me more than anything.
Their last meeting had been especially terrible.
“You’re going to suffer everything I did.”
She still remembered those words.
The hatred in his voice.
Back then, she had believed they would never meet again.
She had believed that their connection had ended there…
But I have to obtain the Wish Stone if I want to return home.
At the moment, it was her only option.
But…
Why has so much changed?
The Rockpenheim estate she remembered had been an old stone mansion with a classic, dignified atmosphere.
Perhaps because of the Rockpenheim family’s frugal nature, they rarely cared about appearances beyond basic maintenance.
At least, that was how Katrina remembered it.
But the mansion before her now…
Why is it so extravagant?
Every light throughout the estate was blazing as though a grand banquet were underway.
And it was still broad daylight.
This wasn’t like Silas at all.
Something felt very wrong.
“Who are you?”
The guard at the gate was someone she had never seen before.
Naturally.
Three years had passed.
“Katrina Abiche. I’ve come to see the Grand Duke of Rockpenheim.”
“K-Katrina Abiche…?”
The guard stared at her in disbelief before noticing the carriage behind her bearing House Abiche’s crest.
He immediately fell silent.
His attitude was rather insolent, but Katrina let it slide.
She had no intention of causing trouble at someone else’s estate.
“I’m sorry, but you’ll have to leave.”
“…What?”
She had never expected to be refused.
Katrina stood frozen before the gate as she thought back to the past.
Considering her relationship with Silas, being turned away wasn’t exactly strange.
But being denied entry altogether…
She lifted her chin and asked confidently,
“Why not?”
“…His Grace the Grand Duke is busy.”
“Busy? It looks more like he’s hosting a banquet inside.”
“Well, that’s…”
…What?
Something felt off.
The vulgar luxury of the mansion.
The way they were completely disregarding her.
The excuse that the Grand Duke was too busy because of a banquet.
None of it fit the Silas she knew.
“Move.”
So Katrina gave an order to another person’s guard.
“Pardon?”
The bewildered guard questioned her, but Katrina shoved him aside and forced her way through.
“M-My lady, you can’t!”
The guard reached out to stop her, but he couldn’t bring himself to lay hands on a noblewoman.
Besides, was there anyone in this land who didn’t know Katrina’s infamous reputation?
Valuing his own life, the guard could do little more than shout after her.
“My lady! You can’t go in!”
Ignoring him completely, Katrina strode into the mansion.
And then…
“Drink! Everyone, drink!”
“Our pretty little thing, you’re even prettier when you’re drunk.”
“Ahaha! Your Grace, do you really think I’m that pretty?”
…What was this?
The hall was overflowing with indulgence and debauchery.
“Hm? Isn’t that Katrina Abiche?”
That wasn’t Silas.
And this man…
It was Patrick.
Silas’s uncle.
But why was his uncle, who spent his days gambling, here?
“Your Grace! I sincerely apologize!”
The guard who had chased after her hurriedly apologized to Patrick.
Wait a second.
…Patrick was the Grand Duke?
Wasn’t Silas the Grand Duke?
“Ahem. Katrina, it’s been a long time. I think the last time I saw you was when you were still a child…”
“Why are you here?”
Patrick frowned at her blunt question.
“Can’t I stay in my own mansion if I want?”
My own mansion?
This was Silas’s mansion.
“…Where is Silas?”
Katrina asked in confusion.
“Ah, Silas?”
The man repeated drunkenly.
“Well, you see.”
He grinned sloppily as he spoke.
“That fool caused quite the incident.”
Patrick chuckled.
“…An incident? What kind of incident?”
“He actually escaped from prison because he wanted to use the Wish Stone!”
“……”
Silas tried to use the Wish Stone?
Him?
Why?
The Silas Katrina knew would never have done such a thing.
“That idiot! His Eminence the Cardinal was absolutely furious. He personally pushed to strip Silas of his right to lead the family.”
“The Cardinal…”
“Lucife Orleans.”
Katrina fell silent.
“His Eminence has no intention of sparing Silas. He declared that the boy should be executed!”
The influence of the Temple in this world was immense.
If Lucife had personally intervened, then Silas losing his position as family head would have been inevitable.
“That fool won’t live much longer, Katrina.”
Patrick snickered as he looked at the speechless Katrina.
“You’ve only just awakened, so I suppose there are plenty of surprises waiting for you.”
This man had no right to become Grand Duke.
Even Katrina knew he spent every day wasting money at gambling houses.
And someone like him was now the head of House Rockpenheim?
“But next time, don’t come barging in like this.”
“……”
“I’m the Grand Duke of Rockpenheim now.”
Katrina doubted her own ears.
Patrick had just declared himself the Grand Duke of Rockpenheim.
“Now off with you. Better yet, don’t ever come back.”
Execute Silas?
Attempting to use the Wish Stone was a grave crime.
There was a reason why the imperial family and the Four Great Houses merely guarded it in rotation instead of using it.
The Wish Stone granted wishes.
But in exchange, it placed a curse upon its user.
A curse that corrupted both body and mind into that of a demon.
That was why it could never be used.
Except by Katrina, who wasn’t originally from this world and therefore remained completely unaffected by the Wish Stone.
Ha…
Katrina had never imagined things would turn out like this.
For now, there was nothing she could do.
She decided to return home in the carriage.
If Silas had truly tried to use the Wish Stone, then it would no longer be in the possession of House Rockpenheim.
It must have been transferred to another family.
I need to find out where it is.
Lost in thought, Katrina approached the Abiche family carriage.
“My Lady Abiche.”
Someone called out to her.
“My master requests your presence.”
The man, who appeared to be a servant, took a folded note from inside his coat.
“What is this?”
“Please read it.”
Katrina unfolded the piece of paper.
Inside, only a single sentence was written.
[A gift for you.]
That was all.
A gift?
What gift?
Come to think of it… this handwriting…
It looked familiar.
Katrina searched her memory for whose handwriting it was.
…Lucife Orleans.
No way.
Katrina slowly turned to look back at the Rockpenheim estate.
“Ha…”
A hollow laugh escaped her lips.
Surely that lunatic didn’t…
He couldn’t have.
He absolutely couldn’t have.
“I need to go meet that bastard.”
Lucife Orleans.
That damned bastard.
