“Yes, Lady Linna!”

I hurriedly replied as I moved the soundproofing magic stone away from the door.

“J-just a moment! Let me clean up a little!”

Then I shoved the note I’d been reading into Zahid’s hand and pushed him into the dark bathroom. I didn’t want to send him back outside, in case he wouldn’t return.

But a mere maid couldn’t keep a noblewoman waiting, so right after shoving Zahid into the bathroom, I quickly opened the door.

“Lady Linna! What brings you here...?”

Linna stood in the hallway with her escort knight, her makeup wiped off and wearing pajamas with a giant skull printed on them.

“I just wanted to talk.”

Linna smiled faintly as she pushed her frizzy, explosion-blown hair behind her ear. No matter how many times I saw it, it was a distressing sight.

“I spoke with the head maid. It looks like we’ll be able to go to the villa together.”

She added awkwardly, clearly embarrassed.

“...The head maid served my mother back when she was still a princess. She’s the person my mother trusts most, so no one dares to speak against her.”

“That’s... that’s a relief. Please, come in, Lady Linna.”

I let Linna into the room and gestured toward the chair Zahid had been sitting in just moments ago.

“There’s only one chair in here...”

“It’s fine. I usually end up collapsed on the floor rather than sitting anyway. But—do you have any alcohol in here? Oh, right, you’re not supposed to drink.”

Linna looked around as if by habit, then slumped her shoulders when she found nothing.

If she keeps this up, she’s going to end up an alcoholic.

Just as I was looking at Linna with concern, I flinched. The bathroom door was slowly opening.

Shit!

I must not have closed the door tightly earlier—now it was slowly swinging open. The light inside was off, but it still made me nervous.

“Yes, Lady Linna! Would you like some water at least?”

I bustled around, trying to distract her.

Linna might not notice with me keeping her attention, but the escort knight behind her was the real problem. Just as I hurriedly poured water and handed it to Linna and the knight—

Zahid moved swiftly from inside the bathroom. He slid into the bathtub, positioning himself so he wouldn’t be visible even if the door opened.

Thank god.

Relieved, I returned to stand in front of Linna.

“Please, sit. You can sit on the bed. Make yourself comfortable. You’re not alone anymore, after all.”

I felt a stab of guilt, but I couldn’t exactly deny it.

So I awkwardly sat down on the bed.

Linna, watching me smile awkwardly, spoke firmly.

“Forget Ray. I’ll treat you well, until he’s completely erased.”

She’d been like this from the start, but her lines were...

It felt like I’d stumbled into a messier love drama than even Ray had planned.

“The moment he left your safety to me, he gave you up. That slippery bastard. I knew it.”

Linna grumbled, grinding her teeth.

“He always acts like he might join the Temple, like he might not, always on the fence, and when it really matters, he’s vague again. It’s typical of the Water Duke’s family—but he’s even worse.”

“Ah, yes...”

I just nodded, eyes darting away.

Linna patted my hand and said,

“Don’t worry about the child. We’ll raise it well. If it takes after you, it’ll be smart and pretty.”

The topic was deeply embarrassing, but Linna’s expression couldn’t have been more serious.

“Just raise it with a lot of love. I’ll help too. I’ve got a rough idea how.”

Her words were somehow both rational and completely irrational.

I looked into Linna’s eyes and asked,

“Love...? What do you mean you have a rough idea how?”

“Mm.”

Linna looked around, then answered.

“My mother once told me she loved me very much.”

She continued slowly, as if speaking a foreign language.

“She said she hugged me a lot, looked at me with warm eyes, praised me, sang lullabies to me every day, told me she loved me every day, and always listened to everything I had to say...”

Linna smiled a little, fidgeting with her fingers in a way that didn’t suit her at all.

“I was too young, so I don’t remember any of it... but doesn’t it still sound nice? I think you should raise your child like that.”

“Um, Lady Linna.”

I cautiously asked, watching her expression.

“Your mother is still alive, right? You can’t see her often, but she still loves you. She even visits you like this.”

“That’s...”

Linna hesitated, then let out a self-deprecating sigh with a faint smile.

“...Because I’m useless...”

“What?”

“You know. I’m pathetic. I didn’t deserve love. I should’ve done better... but I couldn’t...”

I widened my eyes, and Linna suddenly stood up.

“Ugh, I can’t take it anymore. I really want a drink.”

Linna grinned and let go of my hand.

“I can’t ask a pregnant woman to drink with me, so I’ll go. I really just came to see your face anyway.”

From the look of it, her hands were trembling more than when she arrived.

She says she was loved, but remembers none of it?

I stared at Linna’s back as she walked away and thought quickly.

Did she grow up being told she didn’t deserve love because she was pathetic?

But if she was too young to remember, it would’ve been before the age of six at the latest.

There’s definitely something there.

And without even letting me stop her, Linna walked out without saying goodbye. The escort knight, looking startled, followed her without a word.

I let out a sigh and stood up.

Given how quickly she’d dodged the topic and left, it was clear she wouldn’t say anything else no matter how much I asked.

I’ll have ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) to find out at the villa myself.

And just like that, I was alone again.

I immediately locked the door and placed the soundproofing magic stones around the room once more. Because Zahid was still in the bathroom.

Hm? Why hasn’t he come out?

The bathroom door was already open, so I thought he would’ve come out as soon as Linna left. But there was no sound coming from inside.

He must’ve heard Linna leave, right?

I carefully stepped into the bathroom.

I hadn’t turned the lights on, but the moonlight streaming through the window made it bright enough to see.

Zahid was leaning back in the bathtub, half-sitting up. The tub still had some water left in it, so his clothes were soaked.

I had been warned earlier that the drainage was bad—and sure enough, the water hadn’t drained properly after I’d used it.

Oh.

I couldn’t help but admire the silhouette of Zahid’s body under his wet clothes.

Damn, whoever raised this guy really built him right.

But Zahid’s expression was off.

There was no way he hadn’t sensed me approaching—but he wasn’t looking at me. Instead, he was staring seriously at Yuta’s note, which I’d handed to him earlier.

“Zahid?”

I cautiously called his name and approached.

“Rosie.”

He slowly turned his head toward me only once I was right by the bathtub.

“This...”

He slowly held out Yuta’s note.

His expression was calm, but his eyes were swirling with emotion.

Holding the note with Zahid, I quickly scanned the rest—the part I hadn’t read earlier.

Finally, about your question—whether it’s possible to use a Divine Beast’s power to end your life.

I flinched and started folding the letter, but Zahid gripped my hand tightly. And so we began reading the rest together again.

Of course, a Divine Beast wouldn’t obey an order to kill its master.

But if the master’s will is overwhelmingly strong, then it might be forced to do it.

Like Liri did in the past.

I tried to pull the letter away, but I couldn’t overpower Zahid’s grip.

And clearly, he had already read it.

I was the one who had said “let’s read it together,” so I had no excuse.

But the reason I’m bringing this up—is it because you’re planning to take your own life if the worst happens, Rosie?

Because Divine Beast power is the quickest option in an emergency?

Zahid’s hand holding mine trembled violently.

I understand why you’re thinking that way...

And I know I have no right to say this, since I once tried to resolve everything through my own death...

But I really hope you won’t, Rosie.

I had even worded the example like, “Could Zahid be burned to death by Fire?”, and yet Yuta had read my intention perfectly.

But of all things, why did I have to end up reading this part with Zahid?

I let out a long, deep sigh.