Marquis Evnen faced the servant who was waiting for him.
“What did they say?”
“It’s ready, Your Excellency.”
Marquis Evnen’s eyes glinted insidiously.
Today’s banquet was expressly for the sake of humiliating Albert in front of all those people out there, and the preparations were ready. The servant cautiously gauged the marquis’s mood before speaking once more.
“It’s likely that the child will rebel greatly, but will it be alright?”
“At the end of the day, if things go wrong, I’ll have her head detached from her head, yes? It’ll be fine.”
This was the marquis’s unique way of giving mercy. The child had already been dead the moment she got caught robbing his pocket.
She had sealed his fate, here and now.
A lowly child of the slums. Wasn’t she the perfect one to match Albert?
“I’m looking forward to it.”
While thinking about the event he had especially prepared for Albert, Marquis Evnen laughed merrily.
As long as Rosteratu was healthy, his own future would continue being prosperous.
Life could be so sweet if you only turn your eyes sideways a little bit. He couldn’t understand why other people kept trying to be so upstanding and righteous when they didn’t have to be.
The next place he needed to go to was the underground dungeon.
It was a place where only Marquis Evnen could freely enter and exit by using a special key.
There was a similar device at his altar in his capital’s mansion.
Lying inside a prison cell, the girl noticed the people approaching him. She raised himself up.
“L-Let me out…”
The child who uttered those words was with a dirty face. Her light brown hair shook as he trembled.
It was a mere orphan, without even a name, was the one he had nearly sold to Belfort. She was showing more talent in magic than he had initially expected.
And, he intended to take full advantage of that.
“If you listen to me and heed my orders, I will let you out.”
After letting the child’s magic develop as much as possible, the marquis would sacrifice the child for his own sake.
‘This thing will have to be the final offering.’
Sadly, the marquis didn’t have much other choice.
Even if numerous children had already been sacrificed before, there was no significant change in his own magical power. It’s becoming more and more difficult to deal with the corpses.
In any case, even if this child were to die, he still had the next best thing to do.
“I’ll do anything. Please…”
The child clasped her hands together and begged. Desperation was palpable in her eyes.
The hungry child easily gave her heart to whoever reached out. Marquis Evnen laughed contentedly.
“Then, we must start anew. I’ll tell you who your new master is.”
As long as Rosteratu was sitting on the king’s throne, Marquis Evnen would face no hardships in life.
* * *
I went to see the festival with Albert every day. The immaculate snow that covered the whole village was spectacularly beautiful to see.
I also didn’t forget to give Albert a present each time.
They were only small, trivial gifts, but Albert never refused any of them.
By the time that the festival’s end was approaching, my body had changed a lot. Even if I wasn’t wearing the bracelet anymore, my face and parts of my body had started to be visible to people other than Albert.
This new body was one that did not have to rely on a soul or magic.
This meant that Blanc must almost be finished overcoming his ordeal.
I continued talking to him in my mind. It had become my daily routine to recount what happened during the day, like a daily journal shared with him.
Although it couldn’t be seen through one’s eyes, I could feel the invisible connection between us. I have faith in Blanc.
As the days passed by in a blur, it was soon time for Albert to attend Marquis Evnen’s banquet.
Greten considered it to be a special day.
She prepared a particularly good quality cravat and jeweled cufflinks for Albert to wear.
Having his hair swept back like that made him look a little older.
I also checked him over.
“The Young Count’s face will wear out if you continue.”
Next to me, Emmett was looking at Albert as well, but he said this as though he was getting tired of my antics. I side-eyed him briefly before turning back to Albert again.
Not a single wrinkle on his clothes could be seen. There was only one thing I could say to Albert as I looked at him.
“You’re perfect, Albert.”
At this, Albert’s cheeks flared up.
He turned his head to the side as though he didn’t want to show his embarrassment, but as long as my heart was conveyed clearly to him, that was enough.
…However, even if Albert was perfect in my eyes, he would look different in Marquis Evnen’s perspective.
I was conflicted. On one hand, I didn’t want to send him off to that place, preventing him from getting hurt. On the other hand, I thought about our future.
And I recalled Emmett’s words.
He, too, was well aware of Albert’s circumstances.
“Those humans don’t do things without thinking about what would happen.”
In other words, Emmett was saying that there must be a good reason why Marquis Evnen, who had never met Albert before this, had invited him.
Perhaps it was due to Duke Masen’s recent visit that he had noticed Albert’s presence.
All that’s been said that this banquet would be the place where Albert’s worth would be tested, to make sure he was the perfect candidate for the position of ‘prince’.
The moment Albert had been conferred the title of prince was the biggest change in his life.
The ringing voice in my head grew louder.
[ If you do not sent Albert to the banquet, he may simply remain as a Count in the future. ]
It felt as if I was getting a fever. Shivering, I let out a deep sigh.
This ordeal was testing me every single moment it could.
Holding Albert’s shoulder, I asked him earnestly.
“Are you sure you don’t mind that I’ll be coming with you?”
“I have no choice on that matter in the first place.”
Albert muttered, shaking his head.
If I were to go with him today, the only people I’d see there were those who held ill-intentions for him.
I chewed my lower lip. Albert stared up at me.
“I’m fine with it.”
You’ve just been saying ‘I’m fine’ all this time! This habit must be corrected.
I flatly denied what he said.
“…No, you’re not fine with it.”
“Of course not.”
It was absurd to see Albert accepting my words just like that. However, with what he said next…
“But thanks to you, I feel better.”
Albert smiled faintly.
“I have the courage to live a little longer.”
Albert laid his hand on the back of my hand.
“It’s all thanks to you.”
Marquis Evnen faced the servant who was waiting for him.
“What did they say?”
“It’s ready, Your Excellency.”
Marquis Evnen’s eyes glinted insidiously.
Today’s banquet was expressly for the sake of humiliating Albert in front of all those people out there, and the preparations were ready. The servant cautiously gauged the marquis’s mood before speaking once more.
“It’s likely that the child will rebel greatly, but will it be alright?”
“At the end of the day, if things go wrong, I’ll have her head detached from her head, yes? It’ll be fine.”
This was the marquis’s unique way of giving mercy. The child had already been dead the moment she got caught robbing his pocket.
She had sealed his fate, here and now.
A lowly child of the slums. Wasn’t she the perfect one to match Albert?
“I’m looking forward to it.”
While thinking about the event he had especially prepared for Albert, Marquis Evnen laughed merrily.
As long as Rosteratu was healthy, his own future would continue being prosperous.
Life could be so sweet if you only turn your eyes sideways a little bit. He couldn’t understand why other people kept trying to be so upstanding and righteous when they didn’t have to be.
The next place he needed to go to was the underground dungeon.
It was a place where only Marquis Evnen could freely enter and exit by using a special key.
There was a similar device at his altar in his capital’s mansion.
Lying inside a prison cell, the girl noticed the people approaching him. She raised himself up.
“L-Let me out…”
The child who uttered those words was with a dirty face. Her light brown hair shook as he trembled.
It was a mere orphan, without even a name, was the one he had nearly sold to Belfort. She was showing more talent in magic than he had initially expected.
And, he intended to take full advantage of that.
“If you listen to me and heed my orders, I will let you out.”
After letting the child’s magic develop as much as possible, the marquis would sacrifice the child for his own sake.
‘This thing will have to be the final offering.’
Sadly, the marquis didn’t have much other choice.
Even if numerous children had already been sacrificed before, there was no significant change in his own magical power. It’s becoming more and more difficult to deal with the corpses.
In any case, even if this child were to die, he still had the next best thing to do.
“I’ll do anything. Please…”
The child clasped her hands together and begged. Desperation was palpable in her eyes.
The hungry child easily gave her heart to whoever reached out. Marquis Evnen laughed contentedly.
“Then, we must start anew. I’ll tell you who your new master is.”
As long as Rosteratu was sitting on the king’s throne, Marquis Evnen would face no hardships in life.
* * *
I went to see the festival with Albert every day. The immaculate snow that covered the whole village was spectacularly beautiful to see.
I also didn’t forget to give Albert a present each time.
They were only small, trivial gifts, but Albert never refused any of them.
By the time that the festival’s end was approaching, my body had changed a lot. Even if I wasn’t wearing the bracelet anymore, my face and parts of my body had started to be visible to people other than Albert.
This new body was one that did not have to rely on a soul or magic.
This meant that Blanc must almost be finished overcoming his ordeal.
I continued talking to him in my mind. It had become my daily routine to recount what happened during the day, like a daily journal shared with him.
Although it couldn’t be seen through one’s eyes, I could feel the invisible connection between us. I have faith in Blanc.
As the days passed by in a blur, it was soon time for Albert to attend Marquis Evnen’s banquet.
Greten considered it to be a special day.
She prepared a particularly good quality cravat and jeweled cufflinks for Albert to wear.
Having his hair swept back like that made him look a little older.
I also checked him over.
“The Young Count’s face will wear out if you continue.”
Next to me, Emmett was looking at Albert as well, but he said this as though he was getting tired of my antics. I side-eyed him briefly before turning back to Albert again.
Not a single wrinkle on his clothes could be seen. There was only one thing I could say to Albert as I looked at him.
“You’re perfect, Albert.”
At this, Albert’s cheeks flared up.
He turned his head to the side as though he didn’t want to show his embarrassment, but as long as my heart was conveyed clearly to him, that was enough.
…However, even if Albert was perfect in my eyes, he would look different in Marquis Evnen’s perspective.
I was conflicted. On one hand, I didn’t want to send him off to that place, preventing him from getting hurt. On the other hand, I thought about our future.
And I recalled Emmett’s words.
He, too, was well aware of Albert’s circumstances.
“Those humans don’t do things without thinking about what would happen.”
In other words, Emmett was saying that there must be a good reason why Marquis Evnen, who had never met Albert before this, had invited him.
Perhaps it was due to Duke Masen’s recent visit that he had noticed Albert’s presence.
All that’s been said that this banquet would be the place where Albert’s worth would be tested, to make sure he was the perfect candidate for the position of ‘prince’.
The moment Albert had been conferred the title of prince was the biggest change in his life.
The ringing voice in my head grew louder.
[ If you do not sent Albert to the banquet, he may simply remain as a Count in the future. ]
It felt as if I was getting a fever. Shivering, I let out a deep sigh.
This ordeal was testing me every single moment it could.
Holding Albert’s shoulder, I asked him earnestly.
“Are you sure you don’t mind that I’ll be coming with you?”
“I have no choice on that matter in the first place.”
Albert muttered, shaking his head.
If I were to go with him today, the only people I’d see there were those who held ill-intentions for him.
I chewed my lower lip. Albert stared up at me.
“I’m fine with it.”
You’ve just been saying ‘I’m fine’ all this time! This habit must be corrected.
I flatly denied what he said.
“…No, you’re not fine with it.”
“Of course not.”
It was absurd to see Albert accepting my words just like that. However, with what he said next…
“But thanks to you, I feel better.”
Albert smiled faintly.
“I have the courage to live a little longer.”
Albert laid his hand on the back of my hand.
“It’s all thanks to you.”
