Chapter 5

Chapter 5

It was the Head Butler, Anton. Rosalyn looked at him and asked,
 

“What brings you here?”

Instead of answering, he flushed red. Then, in a small, cautious voice, he finally spoke.

“…There’s something I would like to ask of you discreetly.”

“…?”

***

Rosalyn was massaging Anton’s lower back as he lay face-down on the bed with his eyes closed.

“Haa…”

A reflexive groan escaped from Anton’s lips. Startled, he quickly clamped a hand over his mouth and cleared his throat, forcing his expression back into its usual sternness.

Seeing that, Rosalyn smirked inwardly.

‘Must be hitting the spot if he’s losing his composure.’

She hadn’t expected him to actually come all the way here just for a massage. But as she pressed down on the muscle around his hips, she could understand why.

The inner muscles of his glutes had hardened up again like stone. She’d taught him proper posture back in the tower, but fully internalizing that within a few days was asking too much.

‘With this, the back pain must have returned.’

He must’ve endured it for a while before finally deciding he couldn’t take it anymore. Considering Anton’s cold and strict nature, it was no small thing. To entrust someone with a massage, especially in such an area, was unimaginable for the Anton she knew.

‘But this might be a golden opportunity.’

If she played her cards right and leveraged her experience as a trainer, she might gain Anton’s trust, perhaps even favor from the most influential person in the villa.

And if things went well, she could even bring up the matter of repairing the windows. With that hope in mind, Rosalyn threw herself into the task with even more effort.

But a problem soon arose.

‘Why is this so unbelievably tight!’

The muscles showed no signs of relaxing. Back in the tower, it hadn’t felt this bad. But now that she was giving it a proper massage, it was no joke. Anton’s condition was chronic.
This wasn’t going to be fixed in a day or two and continuing like this would only tire her hands out.

‘If only I had a physical therapy machine.’

Those machines used electricity or ultrasound to reach deep tissues that couldn’t be handled manually. But obviously, such machines didn’t exist in this world.

Was there no other option?

As she pondered, something flickered.

A faint yellow glow began to gather at her fingertips.

She has Mana.

Not royal pure mana, but the general kind available to ordinary mages. Come to think of it, she was still technically an apprentice mage in this world.

‘Hmm… what if I tried using mana in the massage?’

Maybe mana energy could reach those deeply knotted muscles. Yes, she should try it.

Rosalyn focused, channeling mana into her hands. It felt awkward at first, but she soon got the hang of it. Her fingertips slowly turned yellow. She pressed her mana-infused hand gently against Anton’s lower back and began massaging again.

Hummm.

The yellow mana slowly seeped into Anton’s muscles.

“Haaak!”

A rather undignified and strange groan escaped him. He quickly slapped a hand over his mouth again, but this time Rosalyn didn’t laugh.

Instead, her eyes widened as she stared at his back.

‘What is this?’

Muscles that had been rock-hard moments ago instantly softened with just a single mana-infused press. Not even a physical therapy machine could have been this effective.

‘This is amazing!’

She tapped the now-relaxed muscles lightly.

“All done. The tension’s gone.”

“Thank you so much. I apologize for coming here so suddenly.”

Anton bowed his head in gratitude while Rosalyn waved her hand dismissively.

“No, no! Come anytime! You’re always welcome for a massage!”

No way was she passing up a chance to get close to him. But Anton blushed and replied in a low voice,
 

“I couldn’t. I don’t wish to show such an undignified side of myself again. But, teacher…”

“…?”

“Do you happen to know a way to eliminate this pain for good?”

His expression darkened. It was clear this pain had plagued him for a long time.

“It’s simple. Like I said before, just keep your posture correct.”

“I tried, but my stomach hurt so much, I couldn’t bear it…”

That was due to a lack of core strength. With back pain and sore abs, he must’ve given up quickly.

“Then it’s time for strength training, specifically muscle-building exercises.”

“What is strength training?”

“You repeatedly lift a certain weight to develop your body’s muscles.”

“You mean like the training knights do with boulders?”

It was close enough so she nodded. But Anton’s face fell again.

“What’s wrong?”

“I can’t do that even if I want to. A few years ago, I was in a carriage accident that damaged my spine. That’s where the pain started. I can still walk, but I can’t strain myself or lift heavy objects.”

So it was a lingering injury from a traffic accident. That also explained his lack of muscle mass. In that condition, improper exercise could make things worse. Then Anton stepped closer and gripped the hem of Rosalyn’s robe.

“Teacher, isn’t there truly any way? If I could just be free of this pain forever, I’d do anything you ask.”

His ever-stern face now brimmed with desperation. Rosalyn’s eyes lit up at that moment.

So, you’ll do anything?

“Then let’s do it together.”

“… Pardon?”

She gave him a bright smile.

In her past life, she’d guided many patients through rehabilitation exercises. Some of them couldn’t even move their legs at first but after training with her, they saw real improvement.

“If you work with me, I promise you’ll be pain-free in a month.”

“Truly?”

“Yes. You have my word.”

Anton stared at her in a daze. Could she really cure the pain that had tormented him for years?

It seemed impossible but Rosalyn’s face was brimming with confidence. Was it this same unwavering belief that had led her to activate His Highness Theodor’s mana when no one else could?

Even someone like Anton, who didn’t trust anyone easily, wanted to believe her, just this once. Hope began to glimmer on his face.

“Thank you. Truly. If there’s anything you need, don’t hesitate to ask!”

Yes! That’s the answer I wanted! Rosalyn seized the moment.

“Then… would it be possible to install new windows in the villa?”

“… Excuse me?”

“Big ones that let in lots of sunlight. Even if it’s just the room near the garden.”

Anton looked surprised at the unexpected request.

“Windows? You don’t like your room?”

“Oh no, it’s not for me. I’d like to move His Highness to a brighter room.”

She recalled Theodor, lying like a corpse in the dark tower. If he were in a sunlit space, maybe he could find the same hope Anton had found. He’d be better off than he was now. No doubt about it.

“A sound body and mind make awakening more likely!”

“I see.”

Anton fell into thought. The budget was tight… but if he cut elsewhere, it might be manageable.

“A single room should be feasible. Anything else you need?”

“Ah, I’d also like to be in charge of preparing His Highness’s meals from now on.”

“…You, Teacher?”

He wouldn’t eat if a maid brought it. Though the request sounded strange, Anton nodded. The maids were too afraid to approach Theodor’s room anywayso maybe this is for the best.

Having said that, he took his leave from Rosalyn’s room.

***

Anton acted swiftly. He summoned workers to the south-facing room and had large windows installed, moving all of Theodor’s belongings from the tower.

That wasn’t all.

Since Anton’s visit, Rosalyn’s once-chilly room was now warm and cozy. The bed was filled with hot water bottles, and she could sleep soundly each night.

‘It’s good to be in the good graces of the villa’s top dog.’

Meanwhile, Theodor was sleeping soundly in his newly relocated bed. As always, Rosalyn was feeding him tonic.

Sunlight poured through the open curtains, gently illuminating his face. Perhaps from the deep sleep of the past few days, he looked slightly less haggard.

It was a huge improvement from when he’d been in that gloomy tower.

‘He’ll wake up soon.’

After administering the tonic, Rosalyn turned to gaze out at the snow-covered garden beyond the window. Bathed in sunlight, the snow sparkled like gems. She hoped Theodor would wake up and see that beautiful view.

Maybe then his body and mind would begin to heal.

Just then, under the snow-covered tree in the garden, she saw a dark figure.

‘Goodness!’

It was the mute assassin, Arch. Why was he roaming around like a ghost? Wasn’t he supposed to be at Theodor’s side?

Come to think of it, when exactly had Arch become Theodor’s personal guard?

At that moment, their eyes met and Rosalyn hastily looked away. Arch stared at her expressionlessly for a moment… then vanished like a phantom.

***

Theodor opened his eyes in a dark room.

‘How much time has passed?’

He was clueless. But strangely, energy was coursing through his body. A foreign sensation. He recalled the moments before he lost consciousness and brought a hand to his abdomen.

There had definitely been a surge of pure mana from within him. Even now, he thought he could feel its lingering warmth.

But any hope or joy he felt was short-lived. Unease and urgency quickly wrapped around him like vines. Mana activation was something all royal children did naturally as infants.
Yet he had only just arrived at the starting line.

This alone wouldn’t be enough for his father, who also abandoned him, to acknowledge him. At the thought of his father, Theodor’s face twisted in the darkness.

His heart ached, sharp and deep.

[“You’re no son of mine.”]

The words his father had always said sounded cold and full of contempt. Those words were daggers that had stabbed young Theodor’s heart again and again. And yet, his father had always been gentle with his other sons. Simply because they had awakened.

He could neither understand nor forgive that man. In fact, h e wanted revenge. That’s why he had vowed to awaken no matter what to force his father to acknowledge him.

And the moment his father did, Theodor would throw him away just as coldly.

He’d return those same words.

You’re no father of mine.

He thought exacting that revenge would finally erase all the pain that had haunted him. That burning hatred had been the only thing fueling his obsession with awakening.

Grrrgle.

His stomach growled loudly, but he didn’t feel hunger.

No, he mustn’t feel hunger. All he could afford to focus on… was awakening. On the table, books on mana theory were piled like mountains. But the room was so dark, he couldn’t even take a step forward.

And yet, somehow… this darkness suited him. A wretched life, consumed by vengeance in a world without light, hope, or warmth.

He smiled bitterly in the dark. He wasn’t meant for joy or hope. Not since the day his mother died. Suddenly, something choked in his chest.

Why must I live like this?

I… I want to be happy too.

He swallowed that rising emotion.

And then, out of nowhere, he recalled Rosalyn’s face from the moment before he lost consciousness.

“Your Highness, you will awaken. I’m certain of it.”

The conviction in her voice sounded like something more: Your Highness, you can be happy.

…But could he? Could he truly drive out this darkness and reclaim the light within himself?

Theodor mulled over his life in silence before arriving at a conclusion: No, there was no way.

With a voice hoarse from emotion, he called into the dark.

“…Is anyone there?”

Click.

The door opened, and someone stepped inside. He couldn’t see who it was but the sound of footsteps reached his ears.

The figure moved slowly through the darkness.

Swish. 

And then, the darkness began to split. Blinding light spilled into the room, illuminating Theodor’s face. He stared ahead in a daze.

The light spread wider and wider, until it filled the entire room.

The gloom that had once consumed everything was now gone as if it had never been. At the wide window, a woman with familiar brown hair was tying back the curtain. Moments later, she turned her head.

Her brown eyes, soaked in sunlight, met Theodor’s.

“Your Highness, you’re awake?”

Rosalyn smiled warmly as she asked.