Chapter 25
“Eric? He’s waiting for me?”
Recalling their encounter near the western forest, Odette turned to look out the window.
Emma, gently combing through Odette’s hair, spoke up.
“My lady, since you haven’t been at the manor for long, you probably haven’t seen Young Master Eric before… I’ve only seen him once myself.”
According to Emma, Countess Katarina had personally selected a few maids to attend to Eric, training them under strict supervision.
They were kept separate in their own quarters, and no one else knew much about them.
“The first and last time I saw Young Master Eric was three years ago, when he walked into the western forest. After that day, animal corpses—completely drained of blood—started appearing.”
“You think Eric did that?”
“…Yes.”
After a brief hesitation, Emma nodded.
“Do the other maids believe the same thing?”
“The ones who have worked here for a long time do.”
Blood magic.
A dark, forbidden art that used human or animal blood to invoke sinister demonic powers.
Practicing black magic was a grave offense in the Empire—no matter how high one’s status, getting caught meant certain execution.
Could Eric be a dark sorcerer?
She had seen him leap into the trees in a single bound, but he hadn’t seemed particularly evil—rather, he had looked fragile.
Maybe he learned black magic to preserve Andrea’s body?
Even if that were the case, he didn’t seem to be calling her to harm her.
After all, he had requested a meeting publicly and even stepped forward himself after years of hiding.
He wants to negotiate.
Odette gathered her thoughts, then smiled reassuringly at Emma.
“He’s waiting for me in the greenhouse. I can’t just send him away, claiming I’m unwell.”
“…That’s true.”
“Don’t worry, Emma. Nothing will happen.”
Just the fact that Emma was worried about her warmed Odette’s heart.
“Ugh, of all days, why are the Master and Madam both away?”
A group of maids stood near the greenhouse, anxiously shifting from foot to foot.
As Odette approached with Emma, the maids rushed toward her.
“My lady, we’ll be right outside the greenhouse.”
“If anything seems dangerous, scream, and we’ll come running.”
For someone like Eric—who had never shown interest in family affairs—to suddenly appear and summon Odette, it wasn’t a good sign.
“The butler went to town to gather funds, and the knights are out training,” one of the maids whispered.
Odette gave them a gentle smile, hoping to reassure them.
“He probably just wanted to meet his new sister. Emma, could you take everyone back inside?”
“W-why?”
“I’d like some privacy for our conversation.”
If she accidentally released a burst of divine power—like she had in the western forest—she might end up attacking Eric unintentionally.
If the maids witnessed something like that, it would only lead to trouble.
“A-are you sure you’ll be alright?”
“I will.”
With Odette urging them to leave, Emma reluctantly led the maids back to the main house.
Odette took a deep breath before stepping into the greenhouse.
The air was thick with the scent of flowers.
As she walked deeper inside, she spotted a round table set with tea and cake.
A tall figure stood with his back to her, turning his head as she approached.
Unlike when they met in the forest, Eric now looked… perfectly normal.
Even his attire had changed.
His long platinum hair cascaded down his back, and he wore a formal suit, resembling a refined yet melancholic artist.
“Hello.”
His voice was hesitant, uncertain.
“We meet again,” Odette said, bringing up their previous encounter in the western forest.
“So we do.”
Eric shrugged, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.
When he opened them again, something had changed.
He can do that without magic elixirs?
His pale green irises darkened as streaks of red seeped in, eventually fading into a murky gray.
A shiver ran down her spine.
Can dark sorcerers freely change their eye color?
Eric parted his lips and murmured,
“As I thought… it’s divine power.”
“…Excuse me?”
“The energy you emit. You weren’t aware?”
“This is… divine power?”
Odette hesitated before raising her palm, summoning her strength.
A soft glow gathered, forming a perfectly round orb of light.
Huh?
The last time she used this power, it had burst from her palm like an uncontrolled flare.
But now, she could shape it.
As if in response to her magic, Eric’s gray irises darkened further—until both his eyes turned pitch black.
Even the whites of his eyes were swallowed by darkness.
That’s… unsettling.
Eric’s body stiffened.
It wasn’t just Odette who was affected by the energy—the light orb seemed to be causing him distress.
Groaning, he lifted both arms, shielding his face from the glow.
“That is an immense power. The temple will soon come looking for you. The Grand Saintess has appeared, after all.”
With a soft pop, the sphere of light disappeared as Odette reabsorbed it into her body.
“I searched the library, but I didn’t find any records of a Grand Saintess with powers like mine.”
There were countless accounts of Saintesses who had wielded the power of healing and purification—noble deeds, miracles, and the benevolent works of her mother, the most powerful Saintess in history.
But there was nothing about a Saintess who could hurl people across distances using divine energy.
As the orb of light vanished, Eric’s posture relaxed.
“There was a knight who possessed such power.”
“A knight?”
“Yes. The founder of the Empire.”
Could this be the power inherited from the first Emperor?
Or is it because I am his daughter?
Eric’s eyes slowly returned to their original color.
“If my power is divine, then that confirms what I suspected—you are a dark sorcerer, aren’t you?” Odette asked bluntly.
After all, his reaction to her divine power had been immediate—his entire presence had been consumed by darkness.
She didn’t bother tiptoeing around the subject.
If Eric had wanted to keep his secret, he wouldn’t have openly admitted that she possessed divine energy.
“…Yes.”
Eric admitted it without hesitation.
“So, I’m stronger than you?”
“Yes. Your power overwhelms mine. It could even destroy me.”
“Then why did you request this meeting? You must want me gone.”
“I do. I called you here to help you leave.”
At last—a benefactor.
Odette beamed.
“Thank you.”
She clasped her hands together in gratitude.
“Just don’t come any closer.”
“Oh, right.”
“Sit down first.”
Eric gestured to the round table between them.
He waited, standing with his hands clasped behind his back, until she took a seat.
He must really want me to leave…
It was clear he was trying to win her favor with polite gestures.
Amused by the effort, Odette obliged, sitting down calmly.
“I heard it was your idea to become the Count’s adopted daughter,” Eric remarked as he finally sat across from her.
“Yes, it was.”
“And now you want to leave. Explain why you changed your mind.”
“Because it’s not my life.”
Her voice was unexpectedly steady, devoid of emotion.
“What do you mean? Becoming the Count’s daughter didn’t feel like your life?”
“I became a stand-in for Lady Amelia.”
Living someone else’s life—that was what unsettled her.
“So, you don’t want to become Caesar’s wife in Amelia’s place?”
“…That’s part of it.”
“You’re quite bold—to try escaping from Caesar. So then, what kind of life do you want?”
“I want to live peacefully in the countryside with a kind man who only has eyes for me. And three dogs.”
Or perhaps three handsome men and one dog.
Either way, the life Odette wanted was one she chose for herself.
“That sounds like happiness.”
There was sadness in Eric’s expression as he spoke.
It seemed he now believed she was serious about leaving.
At last, he confessed his own thoughts.
“I only need Andrea. I have no need for dogs.”
“…Where is Lady Andrea now?”
“She’s beside me. She’s always with me.”
So, he is keeping Andrea’s body.
It was time to return her to Caesar.
Andrea deserved to be laid to rest in the family’s burial ground.
Feeling a pang of sorrow, Odette met Eric’s gaze.
“Do you think she’s happy?”
“Of course. She was in pain for a few days because of you, but once you leave, she’ll recover.”
“She was… in pain?”
“Don’t feel guilty. It’s not your fault. You didn’t choose to awaken your divine power.”
Pouring a cup of tea, Eric looked at her and asked,
“If you don’t mind the cold, how about the North?”
