Chapter 9 Part 1
“Oh, my lady! You’ve arrived just in time!”
As soon as I entered the mansion, Lynn rushed toward me with an enthusiastic face, as if she had been waiting.
“Something fun must have happened?”
At my words, Lynn nodded and handed me what she was holding, then followed behind me as I went up to my room, opening her mouth with excited eyes.
“An invitation has arrived from the Artine household. I heard the scale is quite substantial. It’s been quite a while since you’ve attended any parties other than official regular ones, so what do you think about going this time?”
‘Was this the cause of my ominous feeling?’
It seems Lady Artine sent an invitation, and if I declined, our next meeting would become awkward.
Long ago, I had attended this party.
However, that was before my regression, so my attitude toward parties was distinctly different then… One thing I remembered was that parties hosted by the Artine family were so grand in scale that even members of the imperial family attended.
In practical terms, the reason noble parties grew to such a scale was largely because Marquis Artine operated a massive merchant guild, attracting most political nobles interested in trade.
Since one could discover gems with good business acumen or meet partners with aligned interests in politics and collaboration, Artine family parties generally had a good reputation.
“Hmm, it has indeed been a while since I attended a social party.”
“The Black Rose of the social scene shouldn’t miss such a grand party. You’ll attend, won’t you?”
Lynn placed a warm cup of tea on the table and asked with subtle expectation.
In truth, until my regression, I had attended every party there was.
If Lynn had asked me such a question back then, I would have scolded her for asking something so obvious.
The reason for my enthusiasm for parties was simple.
As someone who freely wielded power from the top of the social scene, I needed to show my true nature by personally appearing everywhere.
For instance, personally pouring wine for irritating young ladies to make them realize their place, or haughtily smiling while surrounded by men flocking to me, or flaunting my wealth and status surrounded by those who flattered me to gain my favor…
These and other actions were enough to earn me the name of villainess, with plenty to spare.
…If I were to make excuses now, I was merely replicating the actions of the original Rosiel.
To end this cursed possession, that is. But the results weren’t good, which is why I’m suffering like this now…
Anyway, since declaring my strike after my third regression, I had never attended a private party. It was natural.
Rather than wasting time at parties with meaningless ostentation, saving my heart was more important.
What use are parties after you’re dead? In the first place, having decided to strike, there was no reason to follow Rosiel’s actions exactly and be called a villainess like before.
But this time… it seems like a good opportunity to put a definitive end to the rumors of discord with Abel and, simultaneously, the rumors of my affair with Hyle.
I should attend the party. But if I remember correctly, Artine family parties had a strong traditional inclination, with a rule that required bringing a partner…
“Raphla.”
Having finished my thoughts, I immediately summoned Raphla.
Soon after, as a few black feathers fluttered, the bird with large wings comfortably settled on my arm as if accustomed to it.
“Take this to Hyle and return. The Feros mansion has a holy power barrier that blocks magical beasts, so don’t stay too long.”
Using Raphla merely as a messenger was certainly a waste of talent.
But among magical beasts that could serve as messengers to the Feros mansion, permeated with holy power, only the high-ranking Raphla could manage.
If I sent another magical beast, it would be blocked by the power of holy energy and couldn’t even enter, so there was no choice.
“Lynn, send a reply accepting the invitation.”
“Yes!”
Lynn left the room quickly with a happy smile.
Hyle must have received an invitation to the party as well, so when he sees my note asking him to be my partner, he’ll understand my intention.
“Then I’ll head to the office too… Ugh.”
Suddenly, a jolting sensation struck my heart like an electric shock.
With the unexpected, abrupt pain, my arm lost strength, and I gripped the table with clenched fists.
This… was almost the same pain I had felt in the basement where Hyle had been confined.
Fortunately, it was less intense than then, but this chilling sensation remained the same.
Since it was a pain I had never experienced before in my life, I had been extremely cautious to avoid experiencing it again, but why suddenly…?
I hadn’t used any significant black magic recently that might cause these symptoms…
“…Wait, could it be because of Raphla just now?”
Impossible. Really because of Raphla?
After everything, to feel pain just from using Raphla as a messenger…
Hmm. Does this mean my heart is definitely being purified, little by little?
I had worried about what would happen if Hyle’s power couldn’t purify it, but it seems it has been steadily progressing without my knowledge.
To think I could feel it so directly.
“Even so, it’s too sudden. Until now, there were absolutely no precursor symptoms, and the amount purified was always similar…”
…Come to think of it, haven’t my meetings with Hyle been quite frequent lately? We’ve also spent more time together than usual.
We’ve been close for longer than usual, so perhaps it created optimal conditions for purification.
Though it was a good phenomenon, it was difficult to consider it entirely positive.
This was because Raphla was not only a high-ranking magical beast but also the closest appendage I regularly used.
But if my heart purifies beyond a certain level, my demonic power would weaken, and then I would no longer be able to control Raphla.
Even if I somehow managed to summon it, Raphla would no longer recognize me as its master.
“I should find a replacement.”
It would be good to find another messenger or suitable appendage to replace Raphla in the near future.
From now on, I should minimize my reliance on black magic and magical beasts as much as possible. I’ll refrain from summoning Raphla for the time being as well.
I gently placed my hand over the area of my heart.
Thump-thump
Beyond the heartbeat that bravely grasped my fragile lifeline, I could feel the demonic power that had subtly faded—so minute that it would be difficult to notice without paying delicate attention.
Though this was a very small change, to me it was hope and a light that meant I could live.
“At this rate, it will soon become difficult to control high-ranking magical beasts.”
If the demonic power continued to fade like this, I would no longer be a Laté.
When that happened, I couldn’t stay at the Laté mansion.
A Laté who couldn’t handle demonic power wouldn’t be recognized as a Laté.
“I should find… a place to start a new life somewhere.”
Someday, when my heart is completely purified and I’m no longer living on borrowed time, I’ll live a life entirely for ‘myself’—neither the noble Lady Laté, nor the vilified villainess, nor the sacred Holy Maiden.
Since I have more than enough money, I could spend the rest of my life comfortably wherever I go.
If I were to leave… would Latan, the land of sun and sea, closest to Pendium and without an arduous journey, be good?
Coincidentally, it’s where High Priest Garend is, so it wouldn’t be entirely pleasant, but by then I wouldn’t be ‘Rosiel Laté’ anymore, so it shouldn’t matter.
I could get a small house at the edge of a quiet port town and enjoy the freedom and peace I’ve longed for.
When I wake up in the morning, I’d breathe in the cool sea breeze instead of drinking warm tea, and walk on the splashing sandy beaches rather than meticulously tended flower gardens.
But why is Hyle’s face coming to mind right now?
Even though I should be focusing on the idea of leaving, why Hyle…
“…Perhaps I’ll miss not seeing that beautiful face anymore.”
After taking a sip of the tea Lynn had left, I exhaled a long breath.
When I thought about never seeing Hyle again if I left Pendium, somehow a corner of my heart felt hollow.
What if I told him I was leaving? What would his face look like?
Although the time we’ve known each other hasn’t been long, I thought I had come to know Hyle quite well in my own way.
But I couldn’t grasp at all what expression he would make upon hearing the news of my departure.
