DBOFS 66

Chapter 66

“…That’s a monster, a monster!”

Dimyad screamed as she was carried into the residence in Lenor’s arms. Her breath, rough with fear and hatred, quickly turned into coughing.

“Those ability-users, cough, all of them should just die…! Kelok! I have to kill them! They’re a societal evil—!”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Lenor, accustomed to Dimyad’s outbursts, held her and soothed her temper with calm patience.

After venting all her curses and insults, Dimyad’s energy drained, and she slumped weakly.

Lenor continued comforting her at the same pace as usual until Dimyad had completely exhausted herself.

“That’s right, our Dimy is always correct. Everything you say is right.”

“…You’re not sincere.”

“No, I am.”

“You are! You’re totally insincere, sister!”

Dimyad burrowed into Lenor’s firm embrace, grumbling.

“Dimyad-sama, your throat is raw…”

“Oh, Nora.”

The maid Nora, who had followed from Layerga, offered lukewarm honey water, but Dimyad glared at her fiercely and refused it.

Her upturned violet eyes, despite her frail, youthful appearance, radiated a threatening aura.

“Ho-honey water…!”

“Give it here.”

The maid shivered instinctively in fear, so Lenor took the cup, sipped it, and stirred the potion inside long enough to ensure it was safe.

“Drink up.”

“….”

The lukewarm water, sweet at first, transformed into a nauseating stench when mixed with the dark green potion.

It looked unappetizing to anyone, yet Dimyad, who had refused the honey water earlier, reluctantly drank it, face twisted in disgust.

“Drink it all.”

Under her sister’s insistent gaze, Dimyad forced herself to finish the cup, gagging immediately afterward.

“Ugh—”

“Do you hate it that much?”

“It’s the worst. Tastes like vomit. Is the effect really all that matters? They should improve the taste! It’s terrible. No sense at all.”

Lenor soothed her complaints with a sympathetic, “Poor thing,” and “Yes, that’s their fault,” while using her other hand to lightly scold the servant.

“…Sorry.”

Only after everyone had left and the room grew quiet did Dimyad speak softly.

“I was wrong.”

It was a rare apology from her prickly younger sibling.

Lenor, however, did not immediately accept it, merely looking down at Dimyad.

“What were you wrong about?”

Dimyad flinched under her kind but strict gaze, hesitating before replying.

“I won’t do it again.”

“Won’t do what?”

“…I won’t speak rudely in front of you.”

“Dimyad.”

“No, I won’t! I said I won’t!”

Just as it seemed she had calmed down, Dimyad yelled again.

But.

“Dimyad Reslei Layerga.”

“…I was wrong.”

Her stubborn rebellion was quickly subdued.

After Lenor lectured her for a while, Dimyad could once again be called by her nickname.

“That’s right. Reflect on it and don’t do it again. Fortunately, we got through this one peacefully, but what if it happens again?”

“What do you mean ‘peacefully’?” Dimyad grumbled internally, then suddenly asked,

“…Why did you get close to that guide baron, sister?”

“Huh?”

“You didn’t do it because of his looks, right? No matter how weak you are for cute and pretty things, he’s uglier than me.”

“Dimy.”

“Seeing him at the banquet, he’s got a nasty temper, annoying, prickly… and he looks nothing like my master.”

It was funny coming from Dimyad, of all people.

But Lenor only smiled softly and said,

“Dimy, Baron Rian is a good person.”

“How can you tell in just a few hours—”

“It’s a feeling.”

“….”

Dimyad could no longer argue and pouted. Lenor’s instincts were usually quite accurate.

Lenor added some calming honey-infused herbs to Dimyad’s pointed lips and said,

“Why do you think I got close to that guide, Dimy? Don’t sulk so much.”

“I’m not sulking!”

“Alright, alright.”

“Really, I’m not sulking!”

“Okay, okay, I get it.”

While comforting Dimyad, Lenor reflected on the events of the day.

‘Harris Godwin.’

Before leaving Layerga, she had gathered all available information about him:

The child of a traitor, early awakening, one who absorbed fragments of the legendary ancient beast “Void” as an ability, long imprisonment and escape.

‘And… a mass murderer.’

Harris Godwin’s abilities had proven perfectly suited for large-scale slaughter.

‘He’s said to be on par with an S-rank.’

This information came fresh from Alucas, the mercenary king.

But Lenor realized something that no written account could convey from just one encounter.

‘Baron Rian…’

Jade Rian, his only guide.

Perhaps there was another way to resolve this problem. Lenor silently hugged her sibling tightly.

“Something feels off.”

Jade, who had entered Harris’ office rather than staying outside, said.

“Did you feel it too, Harris?”

A gentle hand touched his veined hand. Crimson eyes looked at Jade with silent expectation, but…

“I’m talking about Princess Eirene and the actions of the young viscount of Layerga—they were strange.”

“…I see.”

Harris, disappointed, thought,

‘As expected, she has no memory.’

After drinking so much, it was possible she couldn’t remember.

‘But not even a single trace?’

Harris crossed his arms.

Jade had only vague memories of assassination threats from that night, while Harris remembered doing his best to convey his determination.

If she had known the truth, Jade would have been shocked, asking, “What do you mean by that?”

But Harris, lacking common sense and understanding, was frustrated.

‘But it’s not like I can do anything about it now.’

The earlier conversation reminded Harris of the sharp memory of their first meeting. And perhaps how that day approached Jade.

“….”

At least now, he had no right to feel upset at Jade.

He might have accepted a slap, but unfortunately, Jade was not that type.

‘I’ll earn that right gradually.’

Jade would always be by his side. Harris composed himself and listened.

“Even if we disregard the young viscount of Layerga, last night Princess Eirene also seemed strange.”

“Jade.”

“She came too—”

“Did she not appear in your foresight?”

“…!”

Jade was momentarily speechless at the direct question.

“No?”

“…No, she did appear, but…”

“She didn’t appear as she did last night, then.”

Harris nodded.

Jade had already used many visions, so the original future had likely changed. Seeing a different future now was not surprising.

“Then, what caused the problem in your foresight… why that expression?”

“Do you believe me?!”

“…?”

Jade, panicked, quickly drank the tea before asking again.

“Ah, no. You didn’t believe I was a prophet from another world, did you?”

“Jade. I didn’t believe you were literally a ‘prophet from another world.’ If you really fell from another world, the mage tower master would have known and captured you as a research subject—”

“Anyway!!”

Jade was too flustered to notice she had cut him off.

“So… do you believe me now?”

That she came from another world, and thus knew the future.

‘You really believe me?’

Jade looked up earnestly. Harris tilted his head and said slowly,

“I’ll try to believe.”

“…!!”

Jade jumped in surprise. Why? So suddenly?!

‘Our Harris isn’t the type to change his mind like this.’

Yet, in one night, he had. What happened? Nothing significant, as far as she remembered…

‘Maybe last night my memory was distorted by alcohol?’

Perhaps it had been, “If you betray me, you die,” not just “If you lie, you die,” or “If you deceived me, you really die.”

‘Maybe… I did well yesterday. He wavered, then instinctively stayed cautious.’

Yes, that must be it. Jade pieced it together and accepted it.

“Gahh…”

Watching Jade’s varied expressions, Harris felt an unexpected surge of emotion.

“Jade?!”

“Really… moved…”

“…!”

Tears glistened in her clear blue eyes. Harris was surprised—just his willingness to try to believe had caused such an intense reaction.

‘How much must she have craved my trust…’

He recalled the day Jade first confessed her liking for him.

‘…I liked it that much?’

It was overwhelming affection. Harris felt a strange tickling sensation deep inside, awkwardly aware of his own limbs.

No, he actually knew what it was.

But it was hard to accept. A feeling apart from obsession, desire, or possessiveness…

“Yes! This is a human victory!”

Jade leapt in joy, praising herself, then calmed down.

“Getting trust from this paranoid person! Truly an achievement—”

“That paranoid person is right here, listening.”

“Um, um!”

Jade froze, realizing Harris was visibly displeased.

“Um! Back to the point: Princess Eirene didn’t appear in my foresight.”

Of course, neither Lenor nor Dimyad did.

Jade’s serious expression silenced Harris, who focused on the topic.

“So, in the original future, what happens to the two of them?”

“In the original future…”

Jade’s face darkened.

“They die.”

Princess Eirene is murdered, and Dimyad commits suicide.

With no bodies left behind.