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Chapter – 20
Eleanor had just finished preparing to go out and was about to leave her room.
“Sister.”
She turned her head.
There was only one person in this mansion who would call her that.
Roser Hildette.
The second son Jennifer had brought into the family.
“Where are you going?”
Even though Eleanor didn’t answer, Roser continued speaking with his usual easygoing manner.
His dark brown hair curled loosely.
Roser had always been a difficult person for Eleanor.
It was Zekiel who stood in front of her and openly criticized her, and Trisha who worsened Eleanor’s reputation among the people around them.
Roser was neither of those.
He always stayed a step behind, watching everything with an air of detached observation.
That didn’t mean he was kind to Eleanor.
“There isn’t anywhere that would invite you, is there?”
Roser always spoke in the most polite tone while digging into the most painful wounds.
“Even if there’s no place that invites me, there are still places I can go.”
Of course, those words would have hurt the Eleanor of the past.
Eleanor answered coldly and turned her head back forward.
In the process of reliving her life, she had realized that there were things far more painful than Roser’s irritating remarks.
Words like that could simply be ignored.
“It seems you’re in a bad mood, Sister.”
“……”
“If you’re feeling particularly lonely, why not visit my room?”
Ah, that’s right. She remembered something else.
Eleanor twisted her lips in an unseen smile.
Roser liked giving her hope.
To be precise, he liked observing Eleanor after handing her something that looked like hope but was actually despair.
“My room has many things you might like.”
“……”
“Or would you like to see the dolls Trisha treasures? The new one she bought is quite beautiful.”
He would invite her in like this, then later sneak one or two valuables into her room.
And then accuse her of theft.
When the servants cornered her until she broke down in tears, only then would he stop them.
And with a gentle smile, what had he said?
“Let’s just consider it a gift to you, Sister. Your room is so empty, after all.”
Even though it was an obvious trick, Eleanor had fallen for it.
Or perhaps she had wanted to fall for it.
She had been lonely for far too long and had simply wanted someone to talk to her.
But not anymore.
“No need.”
“Pardon?”
“I don’t accept invitations filled with filthy ulterior motives.”
Though Eleanor didn’t see it, Roser’s brow twitched behind her.
Unlike his older brother Zekiel, Roser had patience. He suppressed his anger tightly.
They said the foolish idiot had changed. Indeed, she seemed to have changed a great deal in the time he hadn’t been paying attention.
“Have I offended you in some way, Sister?”
His soothing tone slithered like a snake.
Now that she thought about it, she had heard that unpleasant tone somewhere before—Jennifer spoke exactly like that.
Truly her son.
With a faint sneer, Eleanor strode down the stairs.
Behind her, Roser ground his teeth.
“Will it be alright?”
“What will?”
“Master Roser didn’t look very pleased……”
Laura spoke while skillfully driving the carriage.
Eleanor closed her eyes leisurely.
“Laura. Whose maid are you?”
“You looked like you were in a great mood, Miss. I saw you smiling as you came down.”
Flustered, Laura quickly shut her mouth.
She was a bit nosy, but sharp-witted.
After all, her first remark had been out of concern for Eleanor.
Inside the quiet carriage, Eleanor gazed blankly out the window.
“……So what?”
Roser Hildette being angry?
It didn’t inspire any fear in her.
Zekiel Hildette at least possessed healing powers, enough to become a healer.
Roser, on the other hand, didn’t even have that kind of talent.
“I heard there are marriage talks with the imperial princess.”
Roser’s talents came from Jennifer: a handsome face and dazzling eloquence.
He knew very well that when he lowered his long eyelashes and spoke in a deep, earnest voice, he could deceive almost any woman.
As a result, Roser would marry the Empire’s First Princess, Berta Winterbrunn.
A grand engagement ceremony had been held just days before Eleanor was offered as a sacrifice.
Of course, she had not been allowed to attend.
“Master Roser? Then isn’t that even worse?”
Laura gasped.
“Worse? Hardly.”
“But if the marriage goes through, won’t you be making an enemy of the imperial family?”
“I suppose that would be the case.”
“I–I suppose…? That’s all you have to say……?”
Laura’s voice trembled, but Eleanor was indifferent.
After all, the imperial family had also agreed to her execution.
Now that she thought about it, perhaps her life had been used as a condition for Roser’s marriage.
Even just a month before the engagement, the imperial family had been lukewarm about the match.
Jennifer and Jules had often argued about the instability of the imperial court’s stance—she remembered it clearly.
From the imperial family’s perspective, taking in a second son rather than the eldest as a prince consort would not have been ideal.
So perhaps Eleanor Hildette’s life had been placed on the bargaining table.
For the prosperity and revival of the Hildette family.
For the prosperity and revival of the Empire.
“Ah, forget it. If you say it’s fine, Miss, then it must be fine. Right…?”
Laura’s voice was still full of worry as she tried to reassure herself.
Eleanor leaned back against the soft carriage seat.
The more she thought about it, the more she felt that every single one of them deserved to die.
If only she could reclaim her power.
She clenched and unclenched her fist.
She could feel the demonic energy pulsing through her veins.
A vow of revenge.
“Um… am I going in too today?”
They had arrived at the entrance of the Three-Eyed Golem’s cave. Laura asked nervously.
“Wait here, like last time.”
“Thank goodness! I mean—please be careful, Miss.”
She really was transparent.
“Even if I let something slip, I mean it. Ever since you came back alive last time, I swore my loyalty to you!”
She certainly was good with words.
Eleanor clicked her tongue lightly and turned her head.
Pitch-black darkness gaped open before her.
She felt no fear.
Rather, it felt familiar.
Without hesitation, Eleanor stepped forward.
In her hand was the cause of the chaos at the healer entrance examination not long ago—
Martele’s horn.
Everything was going according to plan.
Pushing through the darkness and walking down the long tunnel, she reached the end where Couch appeared.
The three-meter-tall blue golem looked down at her and spoke stiffly.
“Human. You have come.”
“The promised item.”
Eleanor lifted Martele’s horn in response.
Couch’s eyes gleamed with interest at the golden horn as he extended his hand.
“Wait.”
Eleanor hid the horn behind her back again. Couch tilted his head.
“What is it?”
“You haven’t forgotten the condition of our deal, have you?”
“You mean this?”
Couch pointed to the skull necklace hanging around his neck and burst into laughter.
The skulls containing luminous insects clacked together with a rattling sound.
“Yes. That.”
Couch tilted his massive body slightly.
“Fine. Fearless human. I like you.”
Without hesitation, Couch tore one of the skulls from the necklace. With a crack, it dropped straight into Eleanor’s arms.
Eleanor gazed at the skull brimming with the power of darkness and let out a faint laugh.
Once she reclaimed this power, she would be able to wield the Black Blade to some extent.
It would be a most useful tool, especially now while Jennifer was weaving her schemes.
“Thank you.”
Cradling the skull, Eleanor handed Martele’s horn to Couch. The small horn looked almost cute resting in his enormous hand—one that could crush her instantly.
Watching the scene, Eleanor spoke.
“What will you do once you revive Martele?”
“Insolent question, human.”
“I’ll give you some advice. Don’t try to force darkness into him to restore his power. It’ll become a very troublesome situation.”
Her calm voice echoed through the cavern. Couch’s eyes turned toward her with interest.
“You know my plan?”
“By chance.”
Before her regression, Eleanor remembered what Couch had done to restore Martele’s power.
The demon realm had fallen into chaos because of it—she could hardly forget.
Overwhelmed by forcibly injected dark power, Martele’s mind had shattered under the strain.
Driven mad, he slaughtered the Three-Eyed Golems, including Couch, and sparked a massive golem war.
It wouldn’t have mattered much to Eleanor, who would eventually destroy the human world anyway.
But for some reason, she wanted to extend at least that much goodwill to the monster who had trusted her.
“The power of darkness is too much for someone who’s been sealed for so long. It would be better to gradually expose him to demonic energy and awaken his mind slowly.”
“The Golden-Horn Golems… have been without a king for a long time.”
“If you rush with that mindset, it’ll only cause trouble. I’ve said my piece. The choice is yours, Couch.”
With that, Eleanor turned and began walking away slowly.
Their transaction was complete. If Couch didn’t believe her, she had no reason to persuade him further.
Couch stared at her retreating figure as though observing something fascinating, then took a step forward.
“Wait.”
His booming voice thundered through the cavern.
