It has been a while since we relocated here. To be exact, only a few weeks have passed. In that short time, my mother's expectations have already proved unusual. I can understand her, though, because living here has been worse than expected. Every night, when she tries to sleep, there are always pests that survived Yukino's extermination and the woman guard's efforts when we first moved in. Each night, they make noise, and some even find their way into the master bedroom. That is where the unusual begins: whenever the pests invade, my mother screams, summoning Yukino and the guard to rush in, only to discover that the intruders are nothing more than pests in the master bedroom.
After nightfall each day, Yukino and the maids would attempt to clean the vast interior of the building, hoping to spare their master from worry. Yet their efforts made little difference; the place was simply overwhelmed with dirt, dust, and pests. It would take months to bring it into order, and only if we had more manpower. The maids also had to travel back to the mansion to fetch ingredients. My father had declared that he would cut off all support to my mother, but he still permitted her and her helpers to collect food and supplies from the mansion. To me, this suggests that my mother holds a certain reputation beyond the borders of Destenebres territory. What kind of house does she come from that even my father allows her at least that much? I cannot recall much from the games—it has been a long time, and I mostly skipped the story whenever I played—so I can only remember fragments from the beginning.
Right now, in the afternoon, we are having lunch. My mother is holding me, and the maids, together with the three personal guards, are seated with us around the small wooden table.
If I were to comment on the situation right now, it would be that everyone seems exhausted — not only in body, but in spirit. The food before us feels like an ordinary home‑cooked meal, though I cannot say I am well‑versed in what the people of this world usually eat. What I do know is that today's meal is steamed sweet potato with butter and chicken stew. The stew is cooked well enough, yet its quality falls short of the refined dishes the maids once served my mother back at the mansion.
The mood at the table is mixed. The maids eat slowly, their expressions plain, while two of the personal guards look weary, as though tired of eating food of this quality. The third guard eats much like the maids, yet she glances at me from time to time, as if watching. Each time, she quickly looks away, making it seem almost natural. Yukino notices this. She also glances at the guard whenever the guard looks at me, as though trying to understand why. But Yukino always turns her eyes away just before the guard does. No one else at the table seems to notice these small exchanges — not the maids, not the guards, and not even my mother.
My mother herself looks drained, as though still unaccustomed to the decline in quality since our move. As for me, I suffer in silence. The milk in my bottle is nothing like what I once had at the mansion. It is thicker, almost like drinking yoghurt, yet the taste is off — too sour for a tongue that longs for sweetness. Someone, please, save me.
"That is what she said," Wraith spoke in my mind.
"..." Silence followed, as the other six devils said nothing.
Wraith… Did you really have to make such a dumb joke in this heavy atmosphere? I swear, once I return to my original body, I'll send your consciousness to one of Keloria's residents for a week.
"Forgive me…" Wraith apologised weakly in my mind.
Alright, I'll forgive you again. But the next time you make a stupid remark, I'll send your consciousness to one of Keloria's residents for a week once I'm back in my original body.
After everyone had finished their meal, my mother returned to the master bedroom. The maids began clearing the table and collecting the plates, while the guards set out to patrol the area. From time to time, wild animals might intrude, and on occasion, even weak, mutated creatures — regarded as monsters in this world — would appear.
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Outside the building
Once their meal was done, Aurelia stepped out with Rina and Sana at her side. The three women began their patrol together, their eyes scanning the quiet surroundings for any sign of danger.
"It's so boring…" Rina muttered, her voice heavy with boredom.
"Well, it is boring… And the food's bad too. We don't even get enough time to train, and then we're stuck patrolling on top of it all…" Sana said, trying to sound polite, though her mental exhaustion made it fall flat.
"Agreed. Life here is even worse than in the apprentice knights' dormitory. I actually miss it… I'd rather return there and put up with being ogled than remain in this place," Rina grumbled.
"If you girls have the chance to go back to that life, would you take it without hesitation?" Aurelia asked calmly, though her words carried a certain weight.
"If I have the chance to go back to that life, I would do it without hesitation. But why the sudden question?" Rina asked calmly, wondering why her best friend would ask something so ridiculous.
Sana understood Rina's point, but instead of speaking up, she kept quiet, intent on listening to whatever Aurelia was about to say.
"Let's just say… we've got something to deal with. Something like… a monster." Aurelia's tone was calm, but the lie caught in her throat, forcing her to stumble as she spoke.
"What do you mean by 'monster'?" Rina's voice was calm, but her eyes narrowed. She sensed her friend wasn't telling the truth, though she couldn't prove it, and the thought that Aurelia was hiding something gnawed at her.
"It is a… parasite monster. Right now, it inhabits young master Ragnar. Madam Cesline and the maids… they don't know about it. The lord sent me here with a mission… to eliminate the young master Ragnar.
This creature can manipulate those around it after long exposure. It parasitises the brain — which means the real Ragnar is already dead. The lord realised this and tasked me with killing it. I can get closer to the target and observe it more easily, since I'm the same gender as the ones it manipulates.
Of course… if I try to kill it, Madam Cesline and the maids may resist, trying to protect it."
Aurelia spoke with forced calm, stumbling over a few words as though struggling to explain. Yet unlike her earlier attempt, this lie was more refined — almost believable. She could tell Rina hadn't trusted her at first, so she spun a story that sounded plausible enough to silence suspicion.
Before Rina could respond, Sana spoke first.
"I see… So the lord sent you, Aurelia, not to serve under Madam Cesline, but to observe Young Master Ragnar—the one she protects, who is being manipulated by him. I never imagined such a monster could exist. I want to help you, Aurelia."
Sana's words carried determination, her trust in Aurelia unshaken.
"Thank you, Sana," Aurelia said calmly, though a faint guilt stirred in her heart for deceiving her.
"I will help too…" Rina's voice was calm, but her decision wasn't born of blind trust. She felt she needed to be involved, not to lend her strength, but to step in if Aurelia's story proved false or if the situation spiralled out of control.
"Thank you, Rina. I'll let you both know when to move. For now, let's just continue our patrol." Aurelia kept her tone calm, but guilt pricked at her—she had dragged Rina into this, and she could tell her best friend's trust was still uncertain.
With their talk finished, they resumed their patrol. The hours slipped by until the sun finally sank, painting the sky in fading colours — a quiet reminder that it was time for dinner.
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In the dining room of the building
As dinner time arrived, everyone took their seats around the table once more. The meal was simple: roasted chicken, a pot of mushroom stew, and bread to dip into the broth. The aroma was warm and inviting, though clearly a step below the standard of a mansion's meal. Still, it was decent enough for an ordinary evening.
Unlike them, however, my only meal was the milk bottle — that yogurt‑like milk I was forced to drink.
As everyone began eating, their expressions were mixed. The maids enjoyed the meal with visible delight, while the guards ate with neutral faces, showing it was at least likable enough. My mother, too, seemed content with her food, and Yukino occasionally leaned over to cut her chicken so she wouldn't trouble herself, adding to her comfort.
Meanwhile, I was left suffering with this disgusting milk. Sigh… someone, please save me from this torment.
"My lord…" The words resounded within my head, Wraith's voice carrying a weight that pressed against my thoughts, cold and unshakeable.
I know… The short black‑haired girl keeps glancing at me with hostility, while the long purple‑haired girl quietly observes the situation. The rich golden‑yellow‑haired girl, however, isn't just watching me — her eyes shift between me and the light‑blue‑haired maid, as though studying us both. Something must have happened during their patrol. For any ordinary child, such scrutiny would be discomforting, but for me, I see a chance I can use.
Wraith, I will require you to influence the golden‑haired girl. She appears to be the leader of the guards. I trust you understand the kind of effect I need. The purple‑haired one as well — her suspicion is clear, and it is best we temper it. As for the black‑haired girl, there is no need. She only requires a trigger when the time comes.
"Alright," Wraith answered within my mind, his tone carrying quiet understanding.
Sloth, I will also need your power. Influence the light‑blue‑haired maid — in fact, extend it to all the maids, and even my mother. Make them lower their guard. I trust you understand the kind of effect I require.
"Yes… my lord," Sloth replied lazily in my mind, his tone sluggish, as if speaking itself was a burden.
The dining room was heavy with an unnatural authority. The maids shuffled about, wiping the table and stacking dishes with careless hands, their movements dulled. My mother carried me toward her chamber, each step slow and reluctant, as if walking itself had become an annoyance.
From across the room, Aurelia's eyes narrowed. Impatience gnawed at her until she could wait no longer. She turned to her companions, a silent gesture passing between them. The signal was clear: it was time.
When my mother reached her room, she moved toward the bed and simply collapsed onto it with me still in her arms. The moment she touched the mattress, she drifted into a deep slumber.
Knowing she would not wake easily, three women entered the room, clad in light grey, leather‑like gear and each carrying a Silron sword. Aurelia's eyes burned with murderous intent.
It was thanks to Wraith's authority — his power had corrupted the flow of energy, the very mana within the room. The reason the maids had not been affected earlier was simple: Wraith could direct the corruption toward specific targets. In truth, he was manipulating the corrupted energy of the respective authority. One strain of that corruption caused agitation, and under Wraith's command it could be bent toward whomever I chose. Sloth's power worked in much the same way, though with a different effect.
Just as Aurelia reached my mother's side, she calmly separated me from her arms. My mother remained in a deep slumber, unaware of what was happening.
The moment I was pulled away, Aurelia raised her Silron sword high, angling it so the blade would come down straight at my head. A formless aura began to writhe around the weapon, messy and unstable. One glance at that aura told me everything — she intended to end me swiftly. At last, my goal was near.
But as the blade descended, a dagger cut through the air. It struck Aurelia's sword with a sharp clang, knocking it aside. She hadn't gripped it firmly enough, and the force of the impact sent the weapon bouncing from her hand.
Sana and Rina turned toward the direction the dagger had come from. There, standing in the doorway, was Yukino — breathless, as though she had just rushed in.
My mother, who had been in a deep slumber, suddenly stirred awake. Her eyes fluttered open, and seeing the scene before her, she asked weakly, "What is going on?"
"Cesline, grab Young Master Ragnar and run!" Yukino shouted, her voice sharp with urgency as she charged at Aurelia, daggers flashing in her hands.
My mother, hearing Yukino's shout, did not hesitate. She scooped me into her arms and quickly ran out of the room, trusting Yukino completely after knowing her for so long.
The two guards, Sana and Rina — still under Wraith's authority — rushed to defend Aurelia, who had lost her sword. Their Silron blades flared with a formless aura as they closed in.
Yukino's daggers shimmered with an ice‑like aura, pale blue in color, and clashed against the guards' formless aura.
Aurelia managed to reclaim her sword, shrouding the blade in a formless aura before rushing forward to aid Rina and Sana in bringing down Yukino first.
Yukino, locked in a clash with the two guards, quickly disengaged and leapt back. Seizing the moment, Sana and Rina moved to her flanks, cutting off her angles and trying to restrict her range of attack.
From the front, Aurelia charged in, her blade raised, closing the trap around Yukino.
Yukino, surrounded on her left, right, and front, calmly analyzed their movements.
Sana and Rina raised their Silron swords for a horizontal strike. Sana, positioned on Yukino's left, swung her blade from right to left, while Rina, on the opposite side, mirrored her with a slash from left to right. At the same time, Aurelia brought her sword down in a vertical arc.
Yukino read their intent instantly. She leapt back toward the wall, dodging all three strikes at once. The move seemed to corner her — but what followed was unexpected. Before she landed, her feet touched the wall lightly, and in that instant she pushed off, vaulting high over their heads. Her body rotated mid‑air, and she landed gracefully behind them.
Before the three women could even process what had happened, Yukino was already on the move. She charged straight at Aurelia's exposed back. Aurelia reacted, spinning around to block, but the delay was fatal. Her defense faltered, and Yukino's strike sent her crashing into the wall.
Just as Aurelia was sent crashing into the wall, Rina and Sana turned on Yukino, swinging their swords at her. But Yukino was already a step ahead.
She raised her left leg and drove a sharp kick into Sana's stomach. The leather‑like gear absorbed some of the blow, but the force still sent Sana flying across the room. She slammed into the opposite wall, bounced off, and collapsed face‑down on the floor, pain coursing through her body.
Yukino didn't stop there. Even as Sana was thrown aside, she twisted mid‑air, her body spinning gracefully to avoid Rina's slash.
Just as Yukino moved to strike back at Rina with her daggers, Rina anticipated the attempt. Instead of recklessly charging, she shifted into a defensive stance, her sword raised. She knew well that formless aura was weaker than a formed aura, but she wasn't foolish enough to leave herself open.
Yukino pressed forward, her daggers flashing as she tried to break through Rina's guard. Forced back, Rina leapt away, meeting one of the daggers with her blade. The clash sent a jolt through her arm, driving her several steps backward and leaving her arm sore from the impact.
Yukino prepared to follow up immediately — but before she could, she sensed danger from her right. Reflectively, Yukino brought her daggers up in time to block Aurelia's slash. Though formless aura is weak against formed aura, Yukino was moved back a few distance away — which was still less than the distance she had forced Rina back.
Yukino, pushed back a short distance, caught sight of Sana struggling to her feet with her Silron sword in hand.
All three women were in poor condition. Sana's body screamed with pain, her stomach aching as if it might give out at any moment. Aurelia winced from the sharp ache in her back, while Rina's arm throbbed from the strain of her earlier clash.
"Aurelia, you go after the Young Master. Sana and I will buy you time," Rina said. Her voice was calm, but the strain in her eyes betrayed the pain in her sore arm.
"But—" Aurelia began, only to be cut off.
"It's best if you go," Rina insisted firmly. "Sana can't chase — she's too injured. And my arm is too sore to swing my sword properly. But together, we can at least hold her off. So go!"
Aurelia did not argue and simply obeyed. "Thank you," she said quickly before rushing out through the door.
Yukino moved to chase after her, but the two women stepped in her way.
"Where do you think you're going? You still have us to fight," Rina said smugly, though her arm trembled from the strain.
"Rina… we're going to lose," Sana muttered weakly.
"Don't ruin this cool older‑sister moment, Sana," Rina shot back with a crooked grin.
Frustrated, Yukino snapped at them. "Why are you stopping me? What's your purpose in trying to kill Young Master Ragnar? Why are you doing this?"
"Of course it is to sa—" Sana began with determination, but Rina quickly cut her off.
"I don't know what's going on either," Rina admitted, her tone still carrying that smug edge despite the pain in her arm. "Especially with Aurelia's attitude lately. But I know this much — it's important to her. And as her best friend, I'll stand by her. After this, I'll pry the answers out of her myself."
"Then I'll get the answers from her before you do!" Yukino snapped, anger flashing in her eyes as she darted forward, trying to slip past the two women toward the door.
"As if we'd ever allow that!" Rina shouted fiercely, swinging her sword to intercept Yukino's path.
Sana, though weakened, also stepped in, raising her blade in a shaky attempt to block Yukino's advance.
At that moment, the two women threw themselves at Yukino together. Their auras clashed with hers, filling the room with a suffocating pressure as their fierce fight began.