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Chapter : 05
The Black Magic Experiment Subject (2)
Ainhar welcomed me on the sunlit terrace, his eyes curving into beautiful crescents as he smiled.
The dazzling sunlight reflected off his golden hair, making it seem as though his face itself was glowing. However, unlike his angelic appearance, a chilling voice could be heard coming from the sword sheath at his waist.
[What a delicious little thing! You can hear me, can’t you?! You’re such a tasty little thing! Slurp! What should I do? I’m drooling!! You’re wondering where a sword’s mouth is? Well, it’s just an expression! That’s how delicious you look!!!!]
The blood-drinking demonic sword. Tartanus.
A cruel demonic blade that had chosen Ainhar, a man as angelic as he was, as its master.
So, it was quite the chatterbox.
I had expected it to have a calm and haughty personality, if it possessed one at all.
I did my best to ignore the demonic sword’s voice.
[Hey! She’s ignoring me! Master, you idiot!! Say something! This is annoying!]
Ainhar quietly furrowed his brows and looked down at Tartanus.
[Haa~ Fine, fine. I’ll be quiet. Just don’t starve me, okay?]
Once the demonic sword fell silent, Ainhar turned his gentle gaze back toward me.
“Lady Pasha, this way, please.”
He pulled out a chair for me, making it easier for me to sit at the table. Thanks to his smooth and practiced manner, I sat down before I even had the chance to ask why he was calling me Lady Pasha.
“I wasn’t sure what you might like, my lady, so I’ve prepared a little assortment of things.”
Following his gaze, I saw tea and refreshments arranged on the table.
What was this called again? An afternoon tea set?
On a three-tiered stand were beautifully arranged slices of cake and cookies, accompanied by little white flowers. They looked absolutely delicious.
While I was admiring the spread, Ena approached the table and skillfully brewed the tea.
An unfamiliar yet luxurious and fragrant floral aroma immediately wafted from the teacup.
“I hope you like it.”
However, I couldn’t readily accept his kindness. Perhaps noticing my hesitation, Ainhar spoke first.
“I’m sure you have many questions. Let’s take our time and talk over some refreshments.”
Perhaps he had sensed my anxiety, because he gave me a gentle smile, as if encouraging me to relax.
Wanting to respond to his kindness, I picked up the teacup with trembling hands. As I took a sip, a warm sensation spread throughout my body. The tea’s lovely fragrance seemed to soothe my nerves a little.
“Oh, I just remembered. Our family’s pastry chef especially recommended this cake.”
As though something had just occurred to him, Ainhar placed a slice of cake in front of me. It was covered in fluffy white whipped cream. Fresh strawberries were nestled closely between the layers, and a slightly curled lattice of chocolate decorated the top.
I awkwardly picked up my fork and took a bite.
Oh, my goodness.
It’s delicious.
It’s the best thing I’ve ever eaten in my entire life!
“Do you like it?”
“Yes! It’s delicious!”
I exclaimed without even realizing it.
Oops. I’d completely let my guard down.
As expected of the man chosen by the female protagonist.
Ainhar Rues was the male lead of The Saintess of the Demon Kingdom. Thanks to his sweet and considerate personality, he was a perfect match for the female protagonist, the saintess.
He was the one who lovingly supported her when she became confused and overwhelmed after unexpectedly gaining extraordinary powers.
He was truly a wonderful man, perfectly suited to a romantic fantasy novel.
However, he wasn’t my favorite character.
I had a personal rule: A man who was kind to everyone couldn’t possibly be my man. That rule applied even to fictional characters.
Anyway, this cake really was delicious. The food in this book was incredible.
As I took a few more bites with my fork, Ainhar asked me kindly,
“My lady, what is it that you’re most curious about?”
What am I curious about?
I’m most curious about why I’m here!
But there’s no way you would know that.
And since the demonic sword keeps talking to me and seems to want to eat me, I feel like I should keep that a secret…
My thoughts began racing as I tried to work things out.
That’s right! What happened to Alkan?
Instead of asking some pointless question, I decided to inquire about the silver-haired boy’s whereabouts. Somehow, I had a feeling that boy held the key to everything.
I quietly put down my fork so I could continue the conversation.
“Was Alkan captured?”
“…We lost him. I’m sorry. Especially after you helped us, my lady.”
[Hmph! That’s what happens when you don’t give me enough blood! I told you I wanted more!]
At Tartanus’s interruption, Ainhar slightly furrowed his brows. The demonic sword immediately whimpered and fell silent again.
It seemed that Ainhar was keeping the demonic sword under control by limiting the amount of blood he gave it.
“Lord Rues, you should have followed the plan. The reputation of our Silver Candelabra Knights is in tatters.”
Once the demonic sword quieted down, Hanson seized the opportunity to join the conversation.
Come to think of it, Hanson had been standing behind Ainhar this whole time. He was a fairly large man, but Ainhar’s presence was so overwhelming that I hadn’t even noticed the blue-haired man.
“That rat-like black magician! We should have cut his head off long ago.”
“Hanson. We’re in front of the young countess. Watch your language.”
“The young countess, huh? Yes, sir.”
Hanson looked at me with obvious displeasure.
Suppressing my discomfort, I asked the question that had been bothering me.
“Come to think of it, why am I a countess? I don’t understand why you’re calling me Lady Pasha.”
Hanson answered immediately, as though he’d been waiting for me to ask.
“Regardless of how it happened, you are officially the adopted daughter of Count Pasha.”
“His adopted daughter?”
My voice rose before I could stop it.
Count Pasha was my adoptive father?
Then had he adopted a child only to use her as an experimental subject?
That was clearly abuse!
I had been an orphan, and ever since I was little, I had desperately wished to have adoptive parents, at least.
Every year, some children at the orphanage were chosen and adopted. I used to watch them with envious eyes.
Sometimes, I would wonder why I wasn’t the one being chosen. I couldn’t help feeling jealous.
But as time passed, that jealousy turned into resignation. No one ever came to adopt me before I aged out of the orphanage.
Yet, at this very moment, my fantasy of having adoptive parents had been shattered.
Come to think of it, there were people who abused even their biological children. Why would adopted children be any different?
The sensation of Count Pasha kicking my head with his shoe was still painfully vivid in my memory.
Seriously. Even after possessing a character in a book, was I still destined to have terrible luck with parents?
For some reason, I suddenly felt a sense of kinship with the original owner of this body.
“Our knights have already completed a preliminary investigation into your circumstances, my lady.”
Hanson continued in a matter-of-fact tone.
“We discovered evidence that Count Pasha paid the director of an orphanage within his territory to smuggle children out. They were used as experimental subjects for black magic by Alkan. That rat.”
I reacted sharply to the revelation that I hadn’t been the only experimental subject.
“If they were orphans, was there perhaps a silver-haired boy with purple eyes like mine?”
“You’re the only one we found alive, my lady. The remaining thirty or so children were all discovered as skeletal remains.”
At the mention of thirty or so corpses, my entire body stiffened.
But there had only been the silver-haired boy and me in that place.
“My lady, you are the only survivor among the orphans Count Pasha smuggled away. We don’t know why, but the count officially adopted you. Adelia Pasha. That is your official name.”
“Adelia Pasha…”
The name felt so unfamiliar. It was strange to think that it belonged to me.
My real name was a very ordinary Korean name.
Wait.
What was my real name again?
Suddenly, I couldn’t remember it.
My heart dropped with a heavy thud.
Why couldn’t I remember my own name?
Something was wrong.
Until now, everything had felt relatively peaceful. I’d woken up in the morning, gotten dressed in a beautiful gown, and even enjoyed some delicious cake.
But now, an overwhelming fear spread throughout my body, leaving me completely helpless.
Still, I couldn’t afford to stop thinking.
The only person who could protect me now was myself.
I desperately forced my dry lips to move.
“Then… what will happen to me now?”
“Tsk, tsk…”
“Hanson.”
When Hanson clicked his tongue, Ainhar stopped him in a quiet voice.
Then, with the same gentle tone as before, he turned to me and asked,
“My lady, do you happen to know where your father, Count Comax Pasha, is?”
Ah.
They didn’t know that Alkan had killed him.
I hesitated for a moment, wondering whether I should tell them, before finally speaking.
“Count Pasha was murdered by Alkan.”
“Is that true?”
“Yes. I witnessed it myself.”
“Hmm. In that case, Lady Pasha, you must be the sole heir to the count’s estate.”
“An heir?”
The more we talked, the more absurd everything became.
What was it like to suddenly acquire an adoptive father you hadn’t known existed, only to become an heiress on top of that?
“My lord, aren’t you being a little too kind with your words? That young lady needs to know a few things as well.”
Hanson abruptly interrupted us again.
“House Pasha is a bankrupt, fallen noble family. The head of the family was a gambler and a debtor. All he left behind was a tiny territory and the family castle. Even half of that castle was destroyed during the last subjugation campaign, so there’s practically nothing for her to inherit. And more importantly…”
He paused before continuing.
“Conducting black magic research is a grave crime, practically bordering on treason. The Imperial Family will probably issue a separate judgment regarding your case, my lady.”
At the mention of treason, my face went pale.
Damn that Count Pasha!
Why on earth had he officially adopted me?
Just when I thought things couldn’t get any more complicated, another headache had appeared.
Adelia Pasha.
Just how had you ended up becoming that man’s adopted daughter?
Was there no such thing as renouncing an inheritance in this world?
More than anything, this was so unfair.
I desperately needed a lawyer.
“Lady Pasha, there’s no need to worry.”
Seeing how pale my face had become, Ainhar smiled gently and placed another slice of cake on my empty plate.
This time, it was a crepe cake made of alternating layers of chocolate cream and thin pastry. On top were little red cherries, glazed until they shone with sugar syrup.
“I give you my word, on the honor of House Rues, that I will guarantee your safety.”
…Why would you do that?
I wanted to ask, but I kept quiet.
After all, even if I left this place, I had nowhere else to go.
If there was someone I could rely on, I had to make the most of that opportunity.
Hanson looked at Ainhar with obvious disapproval, but Ainhar didn’t seem to care in the slightest.
Ugh. This is so awkward…
I couldn’t even properly taste the cake anymore.
Perhaps Ainhar noticed that I was barely eating and thought I needed some more time to recover. He called Ena and kindly arranged for her to escort me back to my room.
He never once lost his gentle smile or his kindness.
What a genuinely considerate person.
“We’ll discuss everything in greater detail once you’ve fully recovered, my lady. Until then, please make sure to eat plenty of nutritious food.”
[Hey! Master, what the hell! I want to talk to her!! I’m sick of only talking to you!!]
Tartanus shouted again, but no one bothered to answer it.
I continued pretending not to hear the demonic sword’s voice until the very end. After thanking Ainhar, I returned to my room and took off the dress that felt as though it was choking me.
Taking it off was just as difficult as putting it on.
As expected, Ena helped me with the entire process.
Praise be to the almighty Ena!
“Is there anything else you need, my lady?”
“No, that’s all. Thank you, Ena.”
“Then please rest comfortably. My room is right next to yours, in the servants’ quarters. If you need anything, simply pull the cord attached to the bell.”
Ena pointed to a small bell beside my bed, which had a cord hanging from it.
They had even assigned me a personal maid.
This was far too much kindness.
It only strengthened my suspicion that I shouldn’t blindly rely on the House of Rues.
After all, my personal rule, one I’d learned from growing up as an orphan, was that kindness never came without a reason.
I thanked Ena, but just as she was about to leave, I called out to stop her.
“Wait a moment, Ena. Could you bring me some writing materials?”
Soon, Ena returned with a stack of paper and a pen.
The paper was smooth and glossy, and the pen was decorated with a large, magnificent navy-blue feather.
Strangely enough, the way it worked was quite similar to the ballpoint pens I was used to, so I had no trouble getting started with my notes.
All right.
If I wanted to survive in this place, I needed to remember as much of the novel’s plot as possible.
But…
I’d read so many romantic fantasy novels. Would I really be able to remember the details accurately?
What if the stories got mixed up in my head?
I composed myself and let out a small sigh.
Still, I had to try something.
On the very first page of the stack of paper, I carefully wrote the title:
〈The Saintess of the Demon Kingdom〉
A romantic fantasy about Cynthia, a saintess who received an oracle from the God of Light, purifying the five cursed noble families of the empire, defeating monsters, and bringing peace to the world.
I picked up my pen and began writing calmly.
