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Chapter – 02
“Fail…”
Eleanor stared blankly at the evaluation notice that had been sent to her.
Fail. The word, something Eleanor had never imagined seeing next to her name, was written clearly.
The detailed assessment noted that Eleanor’s healing abilities had been almost nonexistent.
Nearby, Jennifer was hugging Zechiel.
“Our son! They say he has exceptional healing power! This mother is so happy I could cry!”
“Ha, it’s nothing, really.”
“And look at this. According to the evaluation, Zechiel, you were born with the strongest healing ability in Hildeit family history! I’m so proud of my son.”
Something felt wrong.
This isn’t right.
“Uh, mother… I think the evaluation… might be mistaken…”
Just as Eleanor tentatively approached Jennifer and Zechiel, her father, Jules Hildeit, stormed through the mansion with a scowl.
“Eleanor Hildeit!”
“Father, about this evaluation…”
“To fail in the Hildeit family! You are a disgrace to this family!”
“Ah… Father…?”
“You couldn’t even infuse power into anything but the first relic? Even the easiest first relic barely showed any healing power! If you were uncertain, you should have taken the preliminary exam instead of the special evaluation!”
“…Father, that’s not it…”
“I don’t want to hear excuses! Go to your room immediately!”
Eleanor stared blankly at her ‘family.’
“I’ve heard everything. Zechiel, you’ve protected the family’s honor despite this one.”
“It’s nothing. That’s what a son of our family would do, of course.”
“Hoho, my dear. Today, I’ll ask the chef to let me show off my skills. It’s a joyous day after all.”
“Oh, really? With your cooking, I can trust it completely.”
In that place, a ‘family’ existed.
A perfect family that left Eleanor with no place to belong.
At ten years old, Eleanor realized something was wrong, but she could not comprehend that it was a deliberate act of malice.
She was too young and innocent to understand and accept that cruel truth.
Yet that innocence would later strangle Eleanor’s very self.
Even after the special-grade evaluation, people’s perception of Eleanor Hildeit did not change for some time.
Jules Hildeit, even after marrying his wife, continued to have affairs and had his first child with a commoner mistress. Even when that commoner became the legal wife, people still whispered harshly about Jules Hildeit’s remarriage.
Thus, in the eyes of society, the only black sheep of the Hildeit family was Eleanor, and every invitation entering the Hildeit household was extended solely to Eleanor Hildeit.
“Ugh, tsk. What could you possibly do with such a hopeless child?”
Upon hearing such things, Jules Hildeit openly displayed his displeasure at the dinner table where Eleanor was present.
Eleanor bit her lip and quietly lowered her head.
From that day on, her seat at the table was moved farthest from where Jules Hildeit sat.
“My dear, Eleanor can hear you, you know.”
“What can someone like her do at such a party? A failure. She’ll only tarnish the Hildeit name.”
“She’s Eleanor, so it’s not about wanting her to fail. But publicly shaming her like this because she lacks talent is wrong.”
Jennifer tried to appease Jules, but it was not in a way that restored Eleanor’s honor.
Jules could not hide his discontent and clicked his tongue.
Then, sitting next to Jules, Tricia smiled sweetly and spoke.
“Father, I’d like to attend that party too. Could I go with Eleanor?”
“Tricia, you want to attend this party?”
“Yes. Since it wasn’t under my name, I couldn’t go alone… but if I go with Eleanor, I think I could adjust more quickly. Right, Eleanor?”
“Then do as she says, Eleanor.”
Without waiting for Eleanor’s reply, Jules Hildeit made the decision with a single word. He looked at Tricia with a tender gaze and stroked her head.
“…Yes, Father.”
There was no response directed at Eleanor. Yet she told herself it was fine.
But when she entered the party holding Tricia’s hand, Eleanor felt herself shrink once again.
“Hello! I’m Tricia Hildeit, Eleanor’s younger sister.”
Tricia was lovely and pretty. Unlike Eleanor, who was reserved and shy, Tricia naturally blended into the party.
If that had been the end, it would have been bearable—but Tricia insisted on taking care of Eleanor excessively.
“Eleanor speaks very little.”
“Ah, um…”
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Dmechi. I’ll apologize on behalf of my sister. Actually, Eleanor’s mind has been troubled lately.”
Before Eleanor could even speak, Tricia bowed politely. The sincerity of the young girl immediately captured Mrs. Dmechi’s attention.
“I didn’t ask for an apology. But I see your sister has something going on. Your name is…”
“Tricia Hildeit!”
Tricia blushed adorably and continued without pause. Eleanor desperately grabbed her sleeve, but it slipped through her fingers just as easily.
“Actually, my sister failed the special-grade evaluation and got scolded by Father a lot.”
“Oh my, Hildeit’s daughter?”
“But she is Eleanor Hildeit! I don’t know much, but I think she’ll show exceptional healing power in the next exam, just like our brother!”
There would be no next exam. The special-grade evaluation was a one-time event. Only those who manifested their abilities there were groomed to become the head of the Hildeit family.
No one who performed poorly in the special-grade evaluation ever grew greatly. A failure meant nothing.
Mrs. Dmechi, who knew all this, quickly turned her attention away from Eleanor.
“Oh, your brother has exceptional healing power?”
“Yes. I hope my sister can feel better today too.”
Tricia’s kindness struck Eleanor like a blow.
She publicly displayed Eleanor’s disgrace, exposing it for all to see.
Slowly but surely, invitations stopped coming for Eleanor.
Instead, the invitations increasingly went to Zechiel Hildeit, heir to the family, and the sweet and kind Tricia Hildeit.
And when Eleanor realized it, no one sought her out anymore.
From then on, within the family, Eleanor became a nonexistent person.
First, Jules Hildeit and his new family ignored her.
Then the butler and head maid ignored her.
Then everyone in the mansion ignored her.
Finally, the entire empire treated Eleanor Hildeit as if she did not exist.
Eleanor Hildeit, unable to use healing magic despite bearing the Hildeit name, had become someone for whom such treatment was considered natural.
No one spoke to Eleanor, and if she spoke to them, they would not even pretend to listen.
A large part of why this became normal was the attitude of Jules and the rest of the family, who were supposed to have protected her above all else.
One day, the isolated Eleanor was visited by her father, Jules Hildeit.
“Eleanor. You’re already eighteen years old, aren’t you?”
“Father!”
Just for someone to speak to her, Eleanor almost cried tears of joy.
And that it was her father, the one she had longed to be loved by.
“Eleanor. Can you still not use healing magic?”
Jules’ words pierced Eleanor’s wounds.
The healing power she had naturally used since birth, as easily as breathing, gradually vanished—just like her presence.
By the time she realized it, it was too late. At eighteen, Eleanor could barely use her healing power at all.
“…Y-yes, Father. I’ve been practicing…”
A Hildeit daughter who could not use healing magic was worthless. Her father’s words from a year ago echoed in her ears.
Jules Hildeit patted Eleanor’s shoulder. The warmth after so many years made Eleanor flinch.
“It’s alright, Eleanor.”
“Ah, Father.”
“There’s still one thing you can do as a daughter of the Hildeit family.”
“…Really?!”
Eleanor’s eyes widened. Tears of joy streamed from her eyes.
After living eight years as the Hildeit family’s abandoned daughter, she finally felt the hope of belonging to her family.
“Father, I’ll do anything. I can do it all. I’ll give it my best.”
“Yes. Only then can you truly inherit the Hildeit name.”
Jules Hildeit embraced Eleanor. She felt almost faint from the joy alone.
But because of that, Eleanor did not notice the sly smile and gleaming eyes of Jules Hildeit.
And finally, the day Jules spoke of came.
“F-Father! Please, save me, save me!”
“You said you would do anything for the Hildeit name!”
“Father, please! I’m sorry! I’ll study healing magic harder too, Father!”
“What are you doing?! Bring out the sacrifice!”
Eleanor was dragged by strong servants. Her struggles were useless.
“A lowly creature still bothers me at the very end.”
Zechiel Hildeit laughed coldly.
“Still, it’s fortunate. She will have some use. She’ll help save the empire, so she’ll ultimately be happy too.”
Tricia Hildeit spoke with a loving smile.
“Poor thing. This is her fate, I suppose.”
Rogier Hildeit’s emotionless words marked the last thing Eleanor Hildeit heard as she left the Hildeit estate.
She stood before a pit, tightly bound.
From the endlessly deep pit leading to the demon realm, a horrifying energy emanated.
Death.
Two words that filled Eleanor’s mind clearly.
“Father, please! Save me, Father!”
She looked up, but no hand came to save her.
Above the pit, the Emperor and the heads of the four great families watched the ritual with cold eyes.
Jules Hildeit was among them.
“Proceed.”
“Father!”
The Emperor’s decree was given.
Eleanor’s final, desperate cries faded as she fell into the pit.
Soldiers lit a fire above her, and the heads of the four great families sealed the space with their power.
“Now that the sacrifice has been offered, we no longer need to worry about the demon lord’s invasion.”
However, the Emperor, Jules, and the others did not know.
Eleanor Hildeit had survived in that harsh demon realm.
She had endured, drinking monster blood, eating soil, and passing through days soaked in blood and tears, until she killed the demon lord.
And she would return to the empire to annihilate them all.
Fragments of the past passed before Eleanor’s eyes as she awoke.
Seventeen years old.
One year before she was offered to the demon realm.
