THJDM 09

Chapter 9

Rubiana bit her lips tightly, waiting patiently for his answer.

“The state of mana in your body right now is worse than that of an ordinary person. With a body weaker than average… becoming a Spirit Master is impossible.”

“Ah…”

“Only after your body and soul fully adapt to each other and your mana stabilizes will it be possible to make a contract with a spirit.”

“…”

“So for now, you must focus on stabilizing your mana just to keep yourself alive.”

It was the answer she had expected, but the disappointment still hit her hard.

This possession life… what the heck is this?!

Resentment welled up inside her.

The sorrow climbed up her throat, threatening to spill out.

As Rubiana blinked back the moisture in her eyes, Omar’s gentle voice reached her.

“Please don’t worry too much. There is hope. The compatibility between you and the mana you’ve received is quite good… So I think we can expect positive results.”

“…”

“So never give up. It won’t be easy, but you’ll be able to overcome it. Believe in yourself. And believe in me, too—I’ll support you in every possible way.”

“…Yes.”

Receiving Omar’s kind farewell, Rubiana stepped out of the shop.

Her footsteps on the way back to the carriage felt unbearably heavy.

“This is really… pointless.”

Until the gap between body and soul disappeared—in other words, until the possession was complete—she had to rely on the Duke’s dark mana just to stay alive.

And until then, I can’t even form a spirit contract!

Without becoming a Spirit Master, she couldn’t even call herself the heroine of this novel.

The entire plot was about the spirit-wielding heroine and the spirit-wielding male lead working together to defeat monsters and villains while falling in love.

If I can’t become a Spirit Master… then my connection to the male lead will vanish completely.

The radiant face of Chad, whom she had glimpsed at the palace banquet, came vividly to mind.

She let out a deep sigh.

I guess I was never meant to be the protagonist. Once a side character, always a side character. Even after reviving, even after possession, I’m destined to remain in the background.

Tears that had been brimming finally rolled down her cheeks.

She wiped them with her sleeve, trudging along when—

A robed woman, hood pulled low, walked toward her from the opposite direction.

The narrow, deserted alley made it impossible not to notice her.

Long, gleaming strands of golden hair spilled out from beneath the robe.

Is she a noble lady visiting Omar?

Though he hid behind the guise of a toy repairman, Omar was the Empire’s greatest healer. Many highborn nobles quietly sought him out.

Rubiana herself had known to come because, in the original novel, the Saintess visited him on several occasions.

As the woman brushed past, a fragrant scent lingered—sacred and pure.

Don’t tell me… the Saintess?

Rubiana turned to look at the woman’s retreating figure.

And then she saw it: embroidered on the heel of her shoes beneath the robe was the iris flower, symbol of the state religion, Lamoire.

That’s…!

Goosebumps broke out across Rubiana’s arms.

Saintess Florentia was the villainess of this story.

Is she going to request a mana stabilizer for Elion?

It was a potion that amplified effectiveness with the addition of holy water—but the side effect was that its addictive properties multiplied as well.

She was the one who used that drug to turn Elion into the final villain.

She had fed him the potion and ultimately driven him into addiction.

By withholding the drug at crucial moments, she had pushed him into dangerous berserk states.

The war hero Elion’s fall into darkness had been shockingly swift.

After that, Florentia pretended to remain by his side while steadily dragging him deeper into the pit of evil.

She made him turn his back on the Emperor and the Imperial family… until he ended up hating even the Empire itself!

The memories of Florentia’s misdeeds from the novel made Rubiana grit her teeth.

And anxiety gnawed at her.

The villainess has already begun to move… and I haven’t even become a Spirit Master yet.

The thought that the original story was starting without her made her chest ache all the more.

Even though, unlike the novel, Elion no longer needed mana stabilizers—since he had already shared his mana with her.

Letting out a long sigh, Rubiana climbed into her carriage, leaving behind Florentia disappearing into the dark alley.

She didn’t know.

That Florentia had stopped and turned back.

That she was watching as Rubiana boarded a carriage bearing the crest of House Klitzmann.

By the time Rubiana returned to Count Payson’s estate, it was already midnight.

What a long, long day it had been.

Dragging her exhausted body out of the carriage, her eyes widened in shock.

Her entire family was gathered at the front entrance.

“Rubiana, welcome home. You must be so tired.”

“We heard you injured your ankle—was it treated properly?”

The Count and Countess’s voices were filled with concern.

Dazed by the unexpected sight of her whole family waiting for her, Rubiana felt Stephanie slip an arm around her shoulders.

“The Duke of Klitzmann’s household sent us a letter. They said you were injured during a monster attack and were treated at the Duke’s mansion before being sent back.”

“…I see.”

“Mother and Father were very worried, but I reassured them that the Duke’s physician is the best in the Empire. But you were really at the Duke’s residence this whole time?”

“…Yes.”

As she nodded, Justin came rushing up, grabbing her hand.

“Sis, I’m starving! I didn’t eat because I was waiting for you. Let’s eat together while we talk. Please, hurry!”

“You skipped dinner waiting for me?”

Her heart clenched.

Tears spilled before she realized it.

“Oh dear, Rubi, what’s wrong? The monster attack must have frightened you terribly.”

“Or is it your ankle? Even if the Duke’s physician is renowned, our own family doctor surely knows our bodies better. Someone, fetch Nicholas immediately!”

Rubiana shook her head violently at her mother’s command to the maid, swallowing her sobs.

“N-no, it’s not that. My… my ankle’s fine. It doesn’t hurt at all. It’s just that…”

“Just that what…?”

“What happened at the Duke’s mansion? Did that war-crazed butcher, the Duke, say something to you?”

Stephanie asked furiously, as if ready to storm the Klitzmann estate.

“No, no, it’s not that…”

Rubiana shook her head again and again, tears dripping down her cheeks.

All eyes were fixed on her.

“Sniff… It’s just… everyone skipped dinner… sniff… waiting for me… I’m so grateful… That’s why… sniff, sniff!”

In her past life, no one in her family ever cared whether she was home or not.

No one wondered where she had gone, when she would return, or even if she was eating properly.

Her father was always busy with work, her mother busy managing her actress sister, her brother busy with academies.

She was the only one who wasn’t busy.

Unlike her beautiful actress sister or her genius brother, she was ordinary, a background extra with no presence—even to her own family.

But this family is different. They waited for me. They worry about me. They cherish me. Because I’m the protagonist here… they love me.

Unfamiliar affection and care she had never once received before overflowed, bringing endless tears.

“Sniff… Thank you, everyone. Thank you so much for waiting for me. I’ll… I’ll make sure to stay healthy. I promise I won’t get hurt again. Sniff, sniff!”

Surrounding the weeping Rubiana, her family embraced her tightly.

Ah… my eyes are swollen.

The next morning, Rubiana sighed as she looked at herself in the mirror.

Her eyes were so puffy that even when she forced them wide open, they opened only a third of their usual size.

After crying so much, it was no wonder they were like this.

When she tugged the bell rope, her personal maid, Sophie, knocked lightly and entered.

“Good morning, Lady Rubiana. Oh dear, your eyes…”

“Yeah… this happened.”

Rubiana gave a sheepish smile at Sophie’s startled reaction.

With her swollen eyes, her smile looked like her eyes were nearly closed.

“I think I’ll need something cold to reduce the swelling. Could you prepare that?”

“Yes, my lady. I’ll fetch some ice right away.”

“Thank you.”

Watching Sophie hurry out, Rubiana sighed again.

Even with ice, the swelling probably wouldn’t go down completely.

She would have to spend the whole day like this.

“I was supposed to go see the Duke and Omar… This is bad.”

Knock, knock. Someone rapped at the door again.

It was too soon for Sophie to be back with the ice.

Then who could it be?