===

Story Fragment

*

Reese Rine

===

Armor.

That black armor. Those purple flames.

The livid gaze he could barely muster as the last resistance he could put up with his deteriorating body. But what of it anyways? His mother was already dead.

The armor dissolved into particles of light, revealing the identity of the possessor behind the visor.

– The moonlight illuminated her eternal figure.

Black hair swaying in the turns of a canopy of twisting branches, a dead expression devoid of emotion, eyes black as the abyss.

Past the canopy of leaves, staring up at the stars in the background–

“So you were here,” her words rang out like a requiem.

She got on her knees and propped him up. Dusting some of the dirt off his face, she pulled him tight into her embrace.

This small flicker of warmth which enveloped him..

It was disgusting.

Revolting.

Inane.

Yet he couldn’t resist.

He..

He couldn’t leave his mother’s wish unheard.

…

Ring.

The gentle sound of the bell reverberated through the restaurant.

“Welcome miss, do you have a reservation?” the waitress at the entrance greeted.

“Yes I do.”

She resembled that of a black rose. Her inspiring aureate coloured iris glowed gently in the light, accenting the sleek dress she donned. Thin nose, small lips, she wreathed small flowers into her black hair.

Reese followed the waitress, eventually leading the second floor where her date awaited.

A vase with a lone crimson rose, burning incense in a small glass pool of oil with a flickering flame. These items sat on top of a table garbed in a white cloth. Only two sets of silver dining ware were arranged especially for this occasion.

“Good evening,” he greeted.

“How unexpected,” Reese giggled under her breath.

Dracx got up and offered her a seat.

He wore a gray suit, a refreshing air to his dashing appearance. With his chin, he prodded in mute. Reese sat.

The menus were distributed, the waiter went away for the moment to allow them time to decide.

“Who’s going to pay?” Reese muttered bluntly as she scanned the items.

“You really don’t shy away from topics like these do you?”

“It’s better to be frank.”

‘It’s hella expensive.’

The last date Reese went on with Dracx, she paid. But that didn’t cost half of a single item on this menu.

“Order what you like,” Dracx sighed audibly.

“Don’t regret it.”

“...”

They placed their orders, the waitress prepared a glass of minted water each.

“I didn’t think you’d pick a place like this. It’s way too fancy,” Reese said. Her elbow resting on the table as she supported her chin. He didn’t think Dracx was a noble– yet to flaunt his financial capabilities in this manner, wouldn’t it burrow a hole in his wallet?

“Do you not like places like this?”

“It would be nice occasionally. Though, I don’t think aesthetics are what all girls desire.”

“I see.”

“So, what agenda do you have today mister? If I hadn't come, how would you have fared?” Reese provoked with a sweet smile.

“I don’t believe you’re a person who would do that,” Dracx said firmly, pressing against the frame of his glasses.

“How honest.”

A light banter consisting of senseless nonsense. Dracx was from Saint’s Academy, Reese was from Riestallia. Their first meeting happened during the tournament. Topics regarding the different lifestyles and people– he dropped a mention that he would be returning to Saint’s Academy tomorrow. And because of it, he didn’t want to miss this last chance to have dinner with Reese before he went.

“How many girls have you courted so far?” Reese asked, swirling her glass.

“I dare not say.”

“Heh..”

Dracx furrowed his brows, “How about you? Having so brazenly announced that you would wed the hero in public.”

“Yet you had the guts to invite me out knowing as much?” Reese grinned.

Dracx rolled his eyes.

Reese averted her eyes and confessed meekly, “Mn, I’ll be honest. Two.”

“Two?”

“You’re not one of them.”

“I already knew that since the last time we met. This meal is merely a gesture of kindness.”

“Wow, what an expensive kindness. I hope you don’t have any wish for me to repay you with my body or something later.”

Dracx groaned. This girl really just doesn’t know how to read the air does she? “So, if not the hero, who is that other?”

“... Who is that other huh…”

Reese looked down at her glass, the ripple of the blood-coloured wine reflected her vague expression…

…

..

.

The echo of water droplets, the gentle flow of the canal currents. In the dark, a sparkling blue light in the distance–

Reese noticed her two cute followers chatting with a young mage. He was one of the mercenaries hired by the holy knights.

“My, my. Why is it always that my plans always come to unravel in the hands of the church?”

Brown hair, crystal blue eyes. The ball of blue flames he had in hand looked really pretty.

““Cardinal!””

Yui and Dunken, two kids that looked no older than 12 years old rushed up to her– or not. They bumped into a magic barrier.

Her vision partially obscured by the veil she wore, Reese looked into the eyes of the man before her.

– A deep blue shade.

She didn’t know him; shouldn’t have known. Yet something about his eyes jolted her inside.

The cardinal stopped just before the invisible trigger trap he had set up, not because she knew they existed, but because her system rang out.

{ESSENCE AVAILABLE: 442}

{ESSENCE AVAILABLE: 510}

She couldn’t believe her eyes.

“I don’t mean any harm,” Reese shrugged. “It seems you were left out from the slaughter party, no?”

“Yeah. Too bad right? Even though I came to kill people,” he said frankly.

“Right? Isn’t that too bad? How about this? I’ll let you have the lives of ten of my subordinates, you give my children to me.”

“Mister, let us go. Cardinal will be very mad,” Yui pleaded.

“Cardinal, help us!” Dunken banged against the barrier.

“I don’t think I could. Sorry.”

“Strict to your values I see– ” Reese giggled.

“Don’t judge people by the cover, okay? If I was strict with myself, I wouldn't be here.”

“Oh? And why is that?” Reese took out her silver tag.

{ESSENCE AVAILABLE: 511}

‘It’s still rising?’

It seemed that her eyes weren’t fooling her. He was indeed a special existence.

He mimicked her previous gesture and shrugged.

“You’re a funny one aren’t you?” She smiled. A sweet smile that only lasted a moment before her figure melted into the shadows.

She was planning to test him.

Crack.

Rising from behind– she found herself encased in ice.

“Yes, I’m quite funny,” he turned around to face her.

“...”

“I suppose we now wait.”

“Truly, I hadn’t expected that you would best me so easily. You must be quite the capable mage.”

“NOoo!! What did you do to the cardinal!”

“How dare you mister!!”

“It’s not cold in there right? I made sure to adjust the temperature.”

“It’s really cold. Can’t you release me?” the cardinal joked.

{ESSENCE AVAILABLE: 512}

The search for points which she had endowed upon for years produced but one fruit, yet here was another individual who generated points for her? This was the first time she had met someone outside the Savior’s religion who gave her system points. She was certain she had never seen his face in any of the gatherings before.

Curious, Reese decided to prolong her stay with him.

‘This is… absurd, who is he?’

When the holy knights arrived after killing her pitiful followers, she allowed them to carry her off. Well, her followers were already prepared to die anyway.

“Are you not afraid I might bite my molar?” assuming she had poison, she questioned.

“I don’t really care if you poison yourself,” Sequencee– as he introduced himself, said aloud.

‘Could he secretly be a member of the Savior’s group? Maybe he met the ‘true one’ before?’

System points were an odd thing for Reese. Despite having been in this world for almost two decades, Reese was still unsure what ‘essence’ exactly she was absorbing.

‘Hm?’

The holy knight grabbed her by the neck and removed her veil. He shoved his fingers into her mouth..

‘Crazy bastard..’

[Charm Magic: Transient Servitude]

Since he was planning to harass her as much, she took the chance to control him.

The holy knight’s movement choked for a moment. He retracted his fingers, finding no hidden poison inside. He turned around and stared sternly at Sequencee.

“Sir Mage, release her.”

“What? Sir Procto, if we do that it would..” The female knight questioned his reasoning.

“Release her–”

“Something isn’t right.”

“Come on now, kill them,” Reese chuckled, of course, in her mind she meant everyone except Sequencee.

Her voice was the trigger that led to the beginning of chaos. Amidst it all, she slipped out from the ice and took Yui and Dunken away.

“Thank you~”

“Bye bye mister.”

“Be careful mister!”

“Traitor!”

“You got it damn wrong!”

Shouts and the clashing of metal continue to echo–

BOOOM!!

“Sir Procto?!”

Sequencee quickly froze up a portion of his leg–

“Sir Procto! What are you doing!”

“For the cardinal!”

“Beautiful display.”

Reese stepped out of the shadow.

“Steadfast, quick witted, proficient.. how old is he really? Could he be a half-elf?”

“Cardinal, why did you let them go?” the girl asked, stepping out of the shadow together with the boy.

“Oh, that? I didn’t want them to hurt you two precious little things,” Reese tousled the girl’s hair.

“Mister is really good at magic.”

“You’re right about that. It makes me curious really,” she said, gazing towards the fading light.

‘He’s not normal. That’s what I think at least.’

The girl tugged at the cardinal’s robe.

“I’m hungry.”

“Me too,” the boy rubbed his belly.

Reese chuckled.

“Alright. Let’s go get some food.. call me Reese when I’m not cardinal okay?”

“Hm? You told us to not call you by your name though?” the boy tilted his head.

“Dunken,” the girl slapped his hand.

“Mwu.. fine. Sister Reese.”

“Good,” the elder sister then patted the little brother's head.

“Really.. these kids are really brave aren’t they?” Reese mumbled with a little smile on her face.

She turned towards where they left.

‘I’ll need to meet him again and see how he affects my points.’

Along with the kids, they melted into the shadows.

…

..

.

“That guy huh?”

“Yep. It’s a mystery really. Of all people, he’s the only one capable of generating points when I’m in his presence. I’ve gotten points from the heroes, but it’s only during the first time we met.”

“I don’t mean to be privy, but what is the condition for your point acquisition?”

Reese cut the kobold steak into cubes before replying while shaking her head, “I’m clueless.”

“That’s not possible. Things like these are typically explained properly in the system.”

“Typically. Mine’s atypical. Here it merely states, collecting essence– ah, yes, one of your friend also, Matilda was it? I received points from meeting her, though, not a lot.”

Dracx flinched a little when Matilda’s name came up, Reese acted oblivious.

In Reese’s system description, there was a weird string of symbols just before the word ‘essence’, however she couldn’t make out the meaning of it.

“Isn’t it safe to assume that your system requires you to meet people?”

“Perhaps it’s as you say. Though, I could go years without meeting anyone who gives me any points.”

“Years?”

“Yup, years. Before I met Sequencee, I hadn’t met anyone who gave me points in the past three years.”

“Then… how did you acquire your points? If it’s so hard to find people like this, how come your gifts…”

“Ah, that’s because I met someone who changed my life forever.”

“You mean him again?”

“No, no him. It’s… ‘her’,” Reese said as if reminiscing. “It happened a long time ago, back when I was still studying in the general academy, I think I was 13 back then…”

===

“Raise your hands if you’ve already selected your first gift.”

The teacher nodded contemplatively. More than four-fifths of the class had their hands raised. His gaze stopped at Reese, a surprised hum leaked from his mouth.

“Of those that have yet to acquire your gifts, if such is due to a lack of point acquisition, keep your hands raised.”

Those that dropped their hands didn’t lack points, they just hadn’t found the gift they wanted to exchange those points for. He expected all hands to go down, but alas one remained. And it belonged to none other than Reese.

She blinked, looking around.

‘Eh? Only me?’

“I see.. no one else?” The teacher reconfirmed.

The class shook their heads, probably surprised that Reese, being the genius she was, hadn’t accumulated enough points for her first ability.

It was natural you could say that out of every hundred people, there’d be one or two who have point acquisition methods that just makes collecting difficult.

“No way.. she has a special system?”

“Special? Are those not simply rumors?”

“I think not. I have an older cousin who suffers from this same condition, and his first gift was crazy strong.”

There were two schools of thoughts to this. The first was that the harder point acquisition reflected the potential of attaining strong gifts; the law of the world worked in balance.

The second was very simply, luck. There is no proof that those who have difficulty acquiring points have better gift options, rather, it could be a bias at work. Psychologically, their lack would drive these rare individuals to better themselves, hence, it isn’t because of their system, but through their effort that they rise through the ranks of life.

Reese casted her gaze down.

“Don’t be down Reese, everyone is different.”

‘I’m different.’

She didn’t fit in. So did that mean that she was born to be different? Or was this something else?

People admired her for being different, but she didn’t like being different. It made her look like a zoo animal, it made her distant, it made people revere and avoid her, it made making friends hard.

She was different because she wasn’t the kind to respond well to people of her age, she was different because her understanding of the world didn’t match the norm.

“Teacher Tully, in your honest opinion, is being different a bad or good thing?”

“It is a good thing. There are no two equal snowflakes in the world, no matter how similar they may look.”

“...”

Reese thought he was just bragging about how he had visited Tnudra Kingdom during the last holiday; she had never seen snow so who cared if snowflakes were different.

“Though, if I were to be frank, it really depends on how you think of it.”

Reese nodded.

‘That’s a better answer.’

===

Cold milk dipped in cookies.

Up and down, up and down.

Reese then shoved the entire chocolate chip pastry into her mouth and began chewing. Then she would take sips of the milk, making it all mushy inside. Only after that would she swallow it bit by bit. It was similar to an ice blended chocolate chip cookie drink in the mouth, except such a thing didn’t exist in this world.

Reese savored the afterglow of the taste. When she reached for another piece, she realized– it had reached its last.

Saddened by the fact, she ate the piece slowly to prolong her happiness.

Cookie and milk was bliss, this was Reese’s favorite combo in the school cafeteria. Healthier options like sandwiches, meat platter with mash potatoes, fruit basket ice cream– it eluded her. Why eat these when she could have it be her meal at home by request? That was her logic.

“It’s gone.”

Reese downed the rest of the milk and loosened a satisfied exhale. Dabbing her mouth with a napkin, she felt sleepy. She always felt sleepy.

She got up. Taking no notice of the busy cafeteria where young nobles built connections with one another, and headed to the teacher’s office per Tully’s request.

“How do you feel about your system? Do you feel disappointed?”

Reese shook her head, “I don’t need my system.”

“Why do you think that?”

“I can’t buy any gifts, because I can’t collect any points.”

Tully opened up his file and read through the data for each student’s system. Reese was among the few students who had a point acquisition method that remained unknown. Yet despite this already high hurdle, the cost of acquiring a single skill was in the range of the hundreds.

Normally, the greater the value of points required per gift, the easier it should be to acquire said points. Things like the number of monsters killed, or the hours spent on a certain activity.

Reese’s point acquisition method involved absorbing an unnamed ‘essence’. She didn’t know what it implied, nor did Tully.

Because of such a vague criteria, it was improbable of Reese to earn a single point without first understanding what those symbols were. The countless expeditions her family had been going on for the sake of finding an answer yielded no results.

“I see..” Tully clicked his tongue. He felt bitter, seeing his student be born with such a handicap in life.

“It’s alright, teach. I can still live peacefully and happily even without a gift.”

Not having a single gift, especially as a child of a viscount, was a great topic of decry in the circle of nobility. Gifts are the blessings and miracles bestowed to man by the goddess, it is a sign of status and future potential. Many stories told about noble families who had their lives turned around by the acquisition of a single, great gift.

Of course, to reveal something like this to a child wasn’t his responsibility. Tully dismissed Reese without saying anything more.

Outside, Reese leaned against the wall and quivered.

‘I don’t need a gift. I’ll make up for it with everything else.’

– Everything depends on how you think about it.

‘It’s not a bad thing. I just need to put in more effort.’

Reese kicked off the wall, leaving a footprint there, and headed to class.

===

“Reese! Reese! Yo-hoo!”

“Hm?”

She turned around to meet a coterie leader of a peculiar female clique in her class. Her name was Eryka. She had bright emerald eyes, a head of ash-brown hair, and a peculiar scar just below her right eye. It looked like a bad imitation of trying to carve a symbol, probably to mimic the tattoos found on elven royalty.

“Is there anything?”

“Do you really have no gift?” she said loudly. So loud that it caught the attention of the surrounding people in the hall.

Reese placed her books in her locker and slammed it shut.

“I don’t have a gift.”

Eryka Rowen, daughter of a marquis. Reese wasn’t close to her, so she only knew her as a bright and outgoing person.

On the surface, that was supposed to be how it was..

But this changed when she realized this girl wouldn’t stop challenging Reese about her weak points.

– This was her true nature.

“You can’t earn points also?”

“I can’t earn points.”

“Why? Because it’s difficult?”

Reese simply walked away.

“Ah, so you need to play hooky and become a prostitute? Is that what it is.”

“A what ..?”

“Then you’re looking for rich people to touch? I know of a friend who needs to pluck out pubic hair to earn points. There are also those that need to eat bugs, or hug strangers. Could you be one of them?”

“...”

Reese’s mind tried to come up with an explanation for her behavior. She also analyzed the effect of ignoring her here. If she didn’t defend herself, it would send proof to the spectators that she had such a point system. Should this false news spread, her family and life may end up in jeopardy.

“I just need to be close with the correct person to earn points, alright?” Reese frowned.

“So a one night stand then!”

“What’s a one night stand?” Reese, innocent as she was in her earlier days, could only ask so.

Eryka exploded into laughter. A few observers of the exchange also laughed. Though, the majority either ignored it, or showed disgust in their expression.

“It’s..” Eryka made a circle with one finger, inserted her index finger into it, and tightened the circle before moving it back and forth, “.. this, but you do it with a new person every night.”

“I don’t know the context? Is it supposed to be a worm?”

Eryka laughed again.

“I see! So not only do you not have a gift, you’re also really dumb!”

“...”

“Opps, my parents are here now, see you tomorrow!”

Eryka escaped, leaving Reese standing there confused.

“What? Seriously? Don’t tell me that the top student has that kind of system?”

“You know, I heard that the head prefect also has a really lewd system.”

“Don’t be rude! I’m sure it isn’t like that!”

“Though, it does make for an excellent debate. Should someone be born with such a system, isn’t it considered fate?”

“It’s destiny.”

“That’s unfair.”

“The world is unfair.”

Such conversations took place around Reese.

‘I should stop trying to get involved with her.’

Heaving a sigh, Reese adjusted her shoulder bag and headed out of the hall. Kids of her age often exaggerate things. She prayed that the rumors don’t spread too far.

===

“You look down milady, did something happen?”

“Miss Daisy, do you have a gift?”

Reese was in a carriage, her personal maid sitting just opposite to her. Gentle, kind, wrinkled– these were the words she would use to describe Daisy. She was a elderly woman whose age was beginning to show on her face. She had served the Rine’s house for over twenty years now.

“A gift? I do, what about it?”

“I don’t have a gift.”

“It’s this concern again, milady?”

“Is it a bad thing to not have a gift? I feel that people look down on people that don’t. It may affect the way people look at us, it might ruin the Rine name. All thanks to me, boo-hoo.”

“Milady, don’t think of it like that. It isn’t your fault that..”

“And because of it, mama is having another baby.”

“...”

“I want a baby brother,” Reese harumped, looking out towards the window.

Daisy heaved a sigh. She couldn’t do anything to cheer up this little girl could she now?

Reese watched as the buildings and people pass her with a lazy gaze. The capital city of Equestria was a busy place, if only the streets weren’t so crowded, the trip home wouldn’t have been so– long and boring.

Reese pulled up her system window.

/

{ACQUIRED GIFTS:

[NONE]

}

/

{ESSENCE AVAILABLE: 0}

/

{BOOKMARKED GIFTS:

1. [Shadow Magic: Shadow Empress]; (Acquisition: 250)

2. [Charm Magic: Transient Servitude]; (Acquisition: 150)

3. [Unique Trait: Gift Slots]; (Acquisition: 500)

4. [Applied Constitution: Morph Demon]; (Acquisition: 350)

}

Reese had a total of 4 available bookmark slots. And her catalog list, which refreshed monthly, had 10 new options at one time. Most of them looked useful and interesting, but Reese had decided that the four she had bookmarked were the best combo she could get.

The typical acquired gift limit was three for the average joe. In rare instances, some people can have up to six slots.

Nobody knew how many acquired gift slots they had until they reached the limit, hence, assuming that she had a limit of three, the [Unique Trait: Gift Slots] would provide her with a nice bonus.

‘It’s pointless anyways..’

Reese wondered why she even had those gifts bookmarked. Waiting for a lucky break? Such hope had been crushed years ago. Not even the temple priest could do anything about Reese’s condition.

‘Eh?’

As if time had been compressed, Reese’s attention was drawn to a mysterious hooded figure in the distance. The second of eternity passed, things flowed back into motion.

{ESSENCE AVAILABLE: 21}

“Stop the carriage!”

“Milady?!”

“Point.. I got twenty point..!”

{ESSENCE AVAILABLE: 159}

Reese, tagged along by Daisy and the knights, chased after this mysterious hooded figure.

‘Where.. how..?’

They reached the dead end of an alley.

“Milady, we shouldn’t go too long, your father and mother would be worried.”

“But..” Reese frowned.

‘Who is that person? So mysterious..’

Serendipity, and coincidence.

“Fine..” Reese swung her fist in the air.

Just when she thought fate was against her, it just had to prove her wrong huh?

“Milady.. calm down, it’s unlike you.”

“I don’t care.”

Reese harshly plodded herself onto the carriage seat, and off they went.

===

“What? Is that true?” Emery, Reese’s mother, exclaimed.

Reese nodded resolutely.

“Though, to launch an expedition for the sake of finding a single individual..” Lukas, the head of Rine family, Reese’s father thought deeply.

It wasn’t simply for the sake of the family that would make the less than appropriate sacrifice necessary, but also his love for his daughter. A thought occurred to Emery as she was rubbing her bulging belly. “What if this person is one you’re fated to be with?”

“Fated to be with?”

“Think about it, why else would something so serendipitous occur at this moment?”

“Or it could be simply luck.”

“Dear,” Emery stared back at Lukas’s retort harshly.

“I’m only stating the facts,” he snorted.

“Can’t you see I’m trying to cheer up our daughter?”

Lukas turned away. Reese sulked.

‘My fated one? Preposterous..’

Reese didn’t think what she said to Eryka in school was actually the answer. How in the world did the notion of ‘essence’ relate to a single individual? What if the symbol was a name? Then what she needed was to collect the essence of a person all along?

After dinner, she sat on her desk and began reading– for hours. She skimmed through texts on magic engineering, alchemy, history, literature and magic sculpting. All of this while she kept a small mass of mana swirling around her finger– a multiscript with four intersection points.

‘Boring.. but a necessary sacrifice.’

A multiscript was a magic spell designed especially to allow mages to practice their control and output. Put it otherwise, it was like penspinning. The things focused on during deliberate practice are on the nuanced, fundamental elements that get lost in the excitement of an actual gun fight.

Reese peeked at her system.

{ESSENCE AVAILABLE: 159}

“Since I already have the points …”

‘Might as well get my first gift.’

[Charm Magic: Transient Servitude]

An ability which turns someone into your servant who obeys your every wish. Of course, there were limits to the ability.

Humming a happy tune, she got up from her seat and stretched her body. She left her room to get a glass of warm milk before heading to bed– and bumped into a maid.

“M-Milady?”

“Can I get a glass?”

“Of course. I will bring it to you immediately– milady, could you stay in your room, your father has brought a guest. It would be most troubling if you were caught up in their discussion.”

‘Oh, who may it be?’

Suspicion and curiosity, Reese thought she should try out her new ability. She looked into the maid’s eyes.

[Charm Magic: Transient Servitude]

Her gaze turned dull. Reese flinched.

“H-Hello?”

“Yes milady?”

“U-Uh, are you okay? Do you feel weird?”

“I do not milady.”

“Uh, um..”

‘So is it working.. ?’

“I would like to know who it is that my father is talking with.”

“It’s an old acquaintance of his.”

“Can I meet them?”

“Would you like to meet them milady? I don’t advise it but if milady insists..”

‘Oh, is this how it works?’

And so Reese snuck headed towards the source with the maid’s guidance. The effect of the charm magic broke a couple times, Reese had to overlay the ability– it seemed that the length of the effect depended on the amount of mana infused into the gift.

Reese couldn’t help but find a skill like this absolutely broken.

‘It’s just an experiment, just an experiment, no harm done.’

Reese convinced herself.

She pressed her ears against the door.

– “Calm down, calm down, I’m joking. Let’s analyze the situation here first and foremost alright?'

– “..I think I have a guess, though, it might not sound pleasant to you.”

– “A hypothesis? No matter how nasty it may be, please share them, I will ensure its confidentiality.”

– “Yeah, I had some big changes happen to me half a year ago. Though, it isn’t something I can openly talk about in fear that I might actually be executed.”

– “It's a serious issue.”

– “Yes.. I’ve recently become a follower of the Savior’s religion. Or to the layman, I’ve joined a cult.”

– “A cult..?”

– “I knew you would show me that expression. Let me explain.”

‘Savior's religion?’

Reese had heard about it before. Rumors say that this was a cult going directly against the will of the church.

It was a small following of people who believed in the Rika supremacy, the hero from some five centuries ago. It’s a mystery how such a religion came to be.

The basic goal behind this religion, besides helping one another, is to end the reign of the church, and fight discrimination between humans and demons.

– “While it may not be the most peaceful religion to enter, I believe strongly in what they teach there. Normally, it is the norm to invite people to join, but personally, I would advise against it. When it comes to ending the conflict between humans and demons, it’s like creating a coalition against the church. And whenever it has to do with the church, you know it’s bad news.”

– “I’m truly worried and confused, yet I can’t help but believe you after hearing you put it that way. If this is the path you’ve decided to lead, then you should not turn back.”

– “I’m only saying this because I know you to be a friend. I hope you don’t leak this information outside. Otherwise, my acquaintances and I would struggle a lot.”

– “Did you think I would be one to abandon a friend?”

– “Yes. You’ve dumped a lot of beautiful women who were aiming for the position as your concubine. If you can so easily crush a woman’s feelings, how much easier would it be to crush mine?”

– “...”

– “Just kidding.”

The echo of laughter resounded.

“E-Eh?” the maid finally broke out of her trance. “Milady? You can’t be here!”

“Oh no.. look at eh?”

Reese staggered, tripped, the door handle was pushed open and she fell inside.

“Ow..” she rubbed her elbow.

“Reese?!” Lukas exclaimed.

“Oh, is that your daughter?”

“Y-Yes, that is my daughter.

“She’s grown a lot since I last saw her.”

“M-My lord. Please apologize, I did not mean to bring your daughter here..” the maid said in a fluster.

“No! It’s my fault, I was the one who made her bring me here!” Reese didn’t want the maid to be punished for something she did.

Lukas shook his head.

“Davitt, meet my daughter Reese. Reese, meet an old old friend of mine, Davitt.”

“A-Ah?” called by her father, Reese finally came to. She dusted her cotton nightgown and performed a curtsy. “Reese nice to meet you sir, I’m Reese.”

Davitt thought it was cute seeing her try to act courteous in his presence. To begin with, Davitt was a commoner, a true blue mercenary.

“It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Reese. You can call me Davitt, or David, whichever rolls off your tongue better.”

“Y-Yes sir.”

Lukas sighed.

===

“Heh, no gift,” Eryka quipped as she walked by Reese’s desk.

Reese said nothing, looking out the window.

“Reese, were you listening?”

“Why do you bother me so much?”

“Nothing. I just pity you, that’s all. I suppose the world is just and fair, in exchange for your extraordinary talents in other fields, you are not blessed with the most basic privilege of life,” Eryka shook her head with a smug shrug.

Her friends who stood behind her giggled.

“Stop it already. I have a gift now, so those words don’t apply to me.”

“You do? Since when?”

“Since last week.”

Having had enough of Eryka’s antics, Reese wanted to put an end to her goading.

“Reese has a gift? Since when?”

“I thought she said she hadn’t saved enough points?”

“Maybe the gifts she wanted were just too expensive.”

Eryka’s other followers whispered among themselves.

“What skill did you get?”

“It’s a dangerous gift, so are you sure you want to know?” Reese warned with a sharp tone.

Despite the warning, the group of girls nodded.

“Grab my hands.”

“Yes?”

Eryka obeyed out of curiosity. She then looked into Reese’s beautiful golden eyes. The focus of the world blurred around her, completely enraptured by the goddess that is Reese.

Her clique of friends quickly noticed something amiss.

“Point to the ceiling.”

Eryka assumed an exaggerated pose as if to show that she was number one.

“Spin around once.”

“Yes Reese!” she exclaimed excitedly, smiling as she spun.

“Okay, now stop. I released you.”

“Y-Ye.. huh?”

“That’s my gift,” Reese stuck out her tongue.

Eryka looked at her hands, opened and closed it a few times. The sensation of complete bliss from servitude remained fresh in her mind– she shuddered.

“What did you just..”

Reese just smiled in response.

‘Take that.’

The crony group of girls took a step back from her seat.

She thought she had won but..

“You witch! You’re going to manipulate everyone with your gift!”

‘What?’

Reese’s smile cracked.

“I knew it! You were lying all along! You.. how long have you been manipulating us huh?”

‘I had never.. ah, whatever, let her spit out whatever she wants.’

Reese looked away with a harumph.

Eryka clicked her tongue, “We need to report this to the teacher.”

“Yeah.”

“Let’s go.”

‘Since when I had manipulated anyone?’

The group left the class. Reese scratched her hair, feeling somewhat annoyed.

The gazes on her after the exchange felt sticky.

===

“H-Huh..?”

“You witch! Give him back!”

‘What did I do? When did I do anything..?’

“Get back. I’ll protect you.”

“Roel, get a grip of yourself! You’re being controlled, you’re not yourself!”

Having acquired her first gift, her most desired action was to flaunt it in hopes that it would finally stop Eryka from picking on her. But such an attempt created an effect contrary to her expectations.

“Reese, don’t listen to her,” he pulled her behind him to protect her.

“She’s saying nonsense..”

“I-I didn’t do anything? Stop trying to protect me..” Reese’s eyes glowed in a dazzling light.

His eyes turned cloudy, the next moment, Roel walked off. Eryka watched in horror.

“How dare you use your gift in this manner! Keep this up and you’ll end up a wretched tyrant one day! I’m telling the teacher!”

Reese couldn’t deny her words. What she said made sense. After all, she could turn anyone into her puppet.

The activation of her tier zero gift required three things. First was the intention to initiate the charm, second was contact between her and the individual whom she wished to put under her control, and third was direct eye contact. Miss any one of these three, and the activation would fail.

But beyond this active ability, there was an additional passive effect. Reese, who had always been beautiful, was now even more attractive thanks to the unnatural charm she exuded.

She who had never gotten the attention of the boys, was all of a sudden the reason why they fought.

She who had never done anything to the girls, was all of a sudden the envy and jealousy of the class.

In the past month alone, she had received three letters of confessions, two invitations to private parties which she wouldn’t have normally gotten and three counseling sessions which she didn’t think she needed.

All of this happening even without lifting a finger.

There were many people with scarier gifts than her, so why was she being treated differently? Why was she being treated like a criminal?

“Mama, father, what should I do..”

“Dear, don’t be wronged. Things like this can’t be helped,” Emery hugged Reese.

Never in her life would Reese imagine that her gift turned out to be more of a curse than it was a blessing.

“Where’s father..?”

“He’s out. He’ll return in a few weeks time.”

‘Father is gone again..’

“There’s an evening banquet in two days. Shall we go together?” Emery asked with a smile.

“I’ll cause problems..” Reese was reluctant, knowing that she would meet her ‘friends’ there.

“You don’t know. Perhaps your presence would make the party much more lively?”

“No mama, I’m not going.”

“Reese, don’t be like that please? It’s an important occasion to foster relationships. What would people think if we didn’t go? Wouldn’t it further inflate the suspicion others have towards my dear daughter?”

“Mama.. you’re also pregnant..”

‘Why do you have to leave at this sort of time, father..’

The banquet was hosted by an influential trade house which Reese’s family had close ties with. Supplies for building their domain, food, exporting logistics– all these were done under this joint trade deal.

To not attend the party would be impolite, it may even send the wrong signal to the attendees. It was imperative of Emery to attend despite her condition. Showing up to the party and greeting the head of the trading house was the least they could do as a show of sincerity.

“Stand tall, be proud, and I’m sure no one will be able to bully you any longer. I understand your worries about your little brother. But believe me, the priest said that there is still a few more weeks to go before he wants to come out.”

“But..”

“No, no. It’s going to be fine Reese.”

They looked into each other’s eyes. The urge to use her gift to dissuade her mother popped into mind. She knew instinctively that her mother should stay home to rest, that something bad would happen on that day.

If only she had some skill of clairvoyance, some gift to peek into the future, she would be able to discover the cause of this unsettling pit in her stomach. In the end, she couldn’t muster the courage to deny her.

“Alright..”

“How are you getting along with Roel?”

“U-Uh.. I made his girlfriend angry though..”

“His fiance?”

“No. His girlfriend.”

“He has a girlfriend?”

Reese looked down to the ground, drawing circles with her feet.

“Oh Reese,” Emery gave her a big warm hug.

===

“Welcome Reese!”

“Happy birthday, Roel” she said– muttered, then averted his gaze.

“Thank yo.. what’s wrong?” Roel frowned.

Black hair secured with a silver barrette, her ocean blue dress and light cardigan showed a fairly civil vibe. While everyone wore extravagant clothes to exhibit in this banquet, Reese had purposely chosen something lesser in hopes to not stand out.

Though it seemed to be a futile attempt..

As a side note, this banquet was for the purpose of Roel’s birthday.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, young Roel. May I greet you by saying happy birthday. I’m glad you get along with my daughter. I apologize for her shyness,” Emery chuckled.

She wore a loose dress, which made it obvious to people that she was in her later stages of pregnancy.

‘Mama.. don’t make it harder for me can you..’

Roel nodded as if understanding each and every word.

“You’re going to have a sister soon Reese,” he said, glancing at Emery’s tummy.

“Brother,” she denied.

“You want a brother?”

“...”

Emery merely giggled. “Would you mind taking care of her for me Roel?”

“It would be my honor, miss.”

He held out his hand.

Reese glanced at it a few times, hesitating, she reached out to grab it. Roel’s tense face loosened into a smile.

“Let’s go. I’ll bring you around to the food station, where do you want to go?”

“.. Okay..”

“Enjoy the evening you two. Reese, if you ever need me, I’ll be near the garden arbor over there.”

“Okay..”

Roel dragged Reese towards the mansion’s foyer. Here, many of the young nobles gathered.

Roel himself wasn’t a noble. However, as the second son of the Ijin trade family, there was much expectation for him in the future.

They entered the hall with hands linked, the temperature of the room seemed to drop a few degrees. Reese felt incredibly unpleasant, yet perplexed by how calm Roel was taking the critical stares.

‘Don’t mind them, you’ll be fine with me.’

‘Eh?’

Roel gave her a side-long glance with a smirk.

‘This is my gift. Isn’t it cool?’

‘Get out of my head!’

‘It seems the saying is true. Quiet people are much more diverse in their thoughts.’

‘Diverse? This is harassment.. huh? Then had you been reading my mind? Since when?!’

A pout formed on her cute face. Roel, noticing that couldn’t help but find it entertaining.

‘You’re really cute when you do that.’

‘I hate you.’

‘At least you’re honest.’

[Unique Skill: Telepathy]

Reese gave the table of food a quick glance. She blinked a couple times, scanning the great buffet..

Fireworks in her head fired off.

There it was– a whole stack of chocolate chip cookies.

‘I wonder where’s the milk?’

“Cookies and milk again it seems.”

“Stop reading my mind.”

‘Don’t say it out loud!’

Reese turned to Roel, giving him a sharp glare. He, frowning, pointed towards the medium sized tank of pink wyvern milk at the end of the drinks counter.

‘I forgive you.’

Roel rolled his eyes, ‘What? You should be apologizing.’

‘Then stop trying to read my mind.’

Reese grabbed a glass cup, took a few pieces of cookies and walked towards the tank of milk. She filled it half with pink milk, then moving to a nearby seat, sat and began eating away her weird dinner.

Roel could only shake his head at her behavior.

‘Childish.’

Reese flinched. She wanted to give him a piece of her mind but he had already turned his focus towards picking out the foods he wished to enjoy.

‘Whatever.’

Reese finished the four pieces of half-cookies in record time. She was going to get a proper plate of food when a group of girls crossed her path.

Trip.

Splash!

A big bowl of hot congee poured onto her clothes.

Reese yelped at the scalding pain,

Shatter!

She fell on the ground with a thud.

“Oh dear! I’m so sorry!” Eryka exclaimed.

“Let me help!” One of her friends got down on her knees and poured a glass of fruit juice over her hair.

“A-Ah..”

“That didn’t do anything! Let me help instead,” the third friend pushed the second away, grabbed a napkin, and smeared her face with the porridge.

Reese retaliated by pushing her away. The girl fell on her butt.

“H-How dare you! I was merely trying to help!”

“Yeah! How could you be so impolite to the daughter of a marquis? Do you not know your place girl?”

‘W-Why..’

Tears blurred Reese’s eyes.

“Hmph. Let’s go.”

“You should be ashamed.”

“Yeah. A witch doesn’t deserve our sympathy. She’s too amazing for that.”

The group of girls left like a passing storm. That which remained was a stunned girl covered in food. Chatters and whispers filled the venue. Yet despite this, none of them lent a hand.

‘What happened?’

Roel asked, observing from afar. He didn’t dare to act, afraid that it might lead to a misunderstanding. He hadn’t a clue what exactly happened, he needed information.

“Roel, don’t look at her. She got what she deserved.

“Deserved? You did that to her?” Roel narrowed his eyes, his eyebrows arched down.

“She tried to control me! What did you think I should’ve done,” Eryka complained.

“She tried to control me too!” said companion number two.

“Sir Roel, you should be careful around people like her. She may look innocent on the outside, but trust me when I say that she’s cunning when it comes to manipulation,” followed by companion number three.

Their words were enough of an explanation to the situation. Roel was really pissed.

“Get out of here,” he said with a seething voice.

“Pardon?”

Pushing past the group, he approached the still non-pulsed Reese.

“Are you alright?”

“...”

“Butler! Prepare a room!”

“Yes young master! This way please.”

“Come on, let’s go get your dress fixed.”

“Don’t look at me..”

“Come on now, what’s wrong with trying to admire your beautiful face?”

“You’re going to be cursed..”

“I don’t care.”

“U-Uagh?!”

Roel lifted Reese off her feet, ignoring the mess which soiled his own clothes. The young crowd gasped, he left the room with her.

“W-What are you doing?!”

“Don’t move around so much, you’re heavy.”

“Let me down then!?”

“This way sir,” the butler gestured with his hands.

Leaving the foyer with numerous gazes stuck on them, they entered a guest room with a team of maids ready to attend to her.

“You can use the dresses we have here. Though, I’m not sure if it’ll fit. Our maids will quickly clean your clothes so you can use it again,” Roel lowered Reese on the floor. A maid came up to him and performed an advanced life magic spell to quickly remove the stain on the fabric of his uniform. “It’s amazing what Miss Pauline can do right?”

Reese nodded in agreement.

“You’re being too flattering, young master,” the maid, Pauline, groaned.

“I’ll leave her to you. When she’s done, please accompany her back to the hall. Make sure no one bothers her again, I have something I need to do.”

“Yes young master.”

Roel left, leaving Reese and the maids in the room. They got to work stripping her, then wiping her down using warm water. They also fixed her hair, tying it up into a bun instead of her previous, loose flowing ponytail. It reminded Reese of her childhood times where Miss Daisy would do the same, except she had grown to like taking baths on her own as she grew older.

She, instead of borrowing a dress from Roel’s home, decided that it was enough for her simple dress to be restored using Pauline’s life magic. By the end of the quick bath, she now smelled like a garden of flowers.

“You look wonderful,” the maid said.

“T-Thank you..”

“I think young master will be overjoyed. Let’s go together shall we?” Pauline remarked.

“Yes.”

‘Why is he so kind?’

Roel was different. While others looked at her ability as a threat, he saw it as something unique. Even though he knew Reese could manipulate him, he didn't mind.

Reese hid behind Pauline as they approached the hall.

The young nobles very quickly noticed her, having been refreshed with a new style.

“Young master is over there, let’s move quickly.”

Reese was reluctant. But, as she had already received his help, it would be unwise to not listen. Roel was talking to the group of girls who made a mess of her earlier.

“She’s here. Apologize,” Roel, noticing Reese, demanded.

Eryka and her followers frowned.

“Do you think you’re some sort of hero? Why do you care about her life so much anyways? There are so many other things you can pay attention to– like myself– so why choose her? Oh, I know, it’s because you, like many other boys in class, are being seduced by her charm.”

“That’s none of your concern. You did a bad thing, you should apologize.”

“Hah. As if. This is all your fault witch,” Eryka pointed at Reese.

‘My fault? I did nothing.’

“Fine. I don't need you to apologize anyways,” Reese rolled her eyes.

“Apologies to Reese,” Roel demanded otherwise.

‘Just stop this Roel. What can apologizing do?’

Reese hoped that he would be able to hear her thoughts. It seems he had turned off her gift function.

In the end they did not apologize. Most people knew about Reese’s abilities from the rumors. Not only that, but some had ‘claimed’ to have been witnessed or were themselves victims.

“Sorry Roel. I shouldn’t have come.”

“No, Reese. It’s not your fault. They should be the ones ashamed.”

“Take care of your image Roel, trying to fix mine is only going to taint yourself.”

“It’s fine Reese, as a merchant in the future, I can’t just abandon a friend just because of such a small issue”

“I see.. I’m sorry.”

“Reese? Where are you..”

“I’m going to find mama and tell her about what you did. I thank you from the bottom of my heart, Roel.. even though it’s your birthday..” Reese said those last few words in a whisper. She performed a curtsy and left promptly.

“Reese, no, wait–”

‘I can’t take it..’

Throughout their exchange, the gazes on them were so incredibly sticky. If it were not for her gift, she wouldn’t have so much attention on her. She wished to return to the past, back when things weren’t so complicated, when she didn’t need to worry about the gaze of the people.

She went to the garden hoping to find her mother but..

She instead found a puddle of blood.

Laying unconscious in the puddle was her mother.

Reese thought she was dreaming.

The sounds of ringing in her ears, the chaos unfolding in her mind, people rushing to and fro–

“Mama!” Reese rushed to the site.

“Stand back! Don’t come too close otherwise it’ll make things tough for the priest!” One of the knights held Reese back.

“But it’s my mother! What happened to her! Why did she become like this!” Reese’s scream echoed.

“It seems to be poison,” the priest on site muttered softly.

‘Poison.. ah, so it’s poison..’

“Are you her daughter?” He turned to Reese.

Reese didn’t know why she was so calm as to nod. She didn’t even know what her mother’s situation was like, everything felt floaty and surreal–

“Reporting from the first division, no suspects were found here,” a knight approached the knight restraining Reese.

– Until it didn’t

“Have you searched those that she’s acquitted with?”

“Yes sir. They’re innocent.”

‘Why..’

“Who is this child?”

“It’s the victim’s daughter.”

‘Why would people hurt her? Why didn’t I stop her? Why wasn’t I here? Why..’

Reasons for guilt piled on one after another.

“Young miss, please leave it to us. Your mother will be fine.”

The voice brought Reese to the present. She watched as a porter team carried her mother away on a stretcher.

“Where are you bringing her? Where is she going?!”

“She’s going to the hospital. For the time being, please stay here while we get into contact with your father. Okay Miss Reese?” Roel’s brother, Laurence tried his best to placate her.

“No!” Reese struggled in his arms, reaching out towards her mother. “Let me go! Let me.. go!”

‘They’re going to kill her, they’re going to KILL HER!!’

[Charm Magic: Transient Servitude]

She turned around and looked at him.

“Don’t let them take her away!”

Laurence eye’s eyes turned dull. He raised his head towards the medical team.

And then he charged forward with his fists.

“Sir!” the priest noticed something amiss.

Laurence knocked the porters away from the stretcher and carried Emery to Reese’s side. As she wept there, calling out to her mother, the spectators watched in horror.

The first son of the Ijin family had become her slave. The priest tried to convince Reese, but she was too naive to understand.

No, it was impossible to understand. Her mother had already lost so much blood, there was already no way to save her yet to bring her to the hospital?

Why her? Why only her? Why was she the only one who died?!

In the last moments, the priest was able to rally a team to restrain both Reese and Laurance.

Stubborn, ignorant, ill-informed, innocent. Reese didn’t know that thanks to this actions of hers.. had killed her mother who would’ve otherwise survived.

===

“Why did you do that?”

“H-Huh?”

“Your mother. Why did you withhold her from the hospital?” Lukas asked, his voice deep and sorrowful.

“I-I don’t know, I..” tears filled her small eyes.

Reese was aware, having been taught the protocols during an emergency. And it wasn’t the first time she had witnessed this kind of scene either. Her panic and emotional judgment had brought upon a mess.

She brought this upon herself.

– Her gift, had killed her mother.

She could’ve prevented it.

She could’ve saved her.

Such a blessing– she had used it to the worst of its application.

“.. I’m sorry. I’m really sorry..!” Reese didn’t know what to make of the despair eating away at her mind. Burrowing her head into the floor, screaming, praying–

“...” Lukas held back the urge to slam his hands down on the table.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry..”

Hearing these heartbreaking words, Lukas who couldn’t bear it anymore left his office. Reese was left broken in the office for the remainder of the day.

“Milady.”

“I’m sorry.. I’m sorry, I’m sorry..”

“Milady, it’s time for dinner.”

“.. I’m sorry.. I’m sorry..”

Daisy, the maid, wrapped her arms around Reese and stroked her back until she sobered up.

“I’m sorry.. mama I’m sorry..”

Her actions had not only led to her mother’s death, it also destroyed her family reputation among the circle of nobility. What she displayed that night was an objective incident, it proved the rumors of her powers, and also incited fear amongst the people.

As the head of the Rine family, it was incredibly difficult to deal with the aftermath of this incident. Lukas actions were rash but justifiable. Grief-stricken by the loss of his wife and future child, now he had to come up with some way to protect his last daughter who would forever be the talk of nobility.

Not to mention, the assassin who gave Emery the poison was still missing.

“Monster.”

“Witch.”

“Murderer.”

“Manipulating bitch.”

No one would reach out to her, no one would talk to her. Some were so afraid that they treated her as if the plague. It was complete ostracization.

For a short period then, her presence in the academy rivaled that of Her Imperial Highness Evelyn.

It was a turning point in her life.

.

..

…

“I was really stupid back then. My mother could’ve survived if only I…” Reese’s voice tapered off.

“Here.”

“Ah? Oh– no need, I have my own,” Reese used the tissue to wipe away her tears.

“.. Aren’t you supposed to.. nevermind,” Dracx took back his handkerchief.

Reese giggled.

“I sympathize with you.”

“It’s fine. I’m no longer bothered about the incident. If the time comes where I have to atone for my sin, so be it. For now at least, I will do whatever I can to use my life in order to serve the world.”

“Serve the world?”

Reese folded her legs under the table and leaned forward.

She licked her lips, her golden eyes dazzled oh so subtly. Dracx tensed up, knowing vaguely what kind of gift she possessed.

“Are you religious?”

“No. But I do believe in Goddess Ra.”

“Then our beliefs don’t align.”

“Come again?”

“I don’t believe in the miracles of the Goddess unfortunately,” Reese shook her head.

“Why?” Dracx had an open mind to listen, he didn’t deny that people like Reese existed.

“The Saviors' religion, have you heard of it?”

“The Saviors’ religion..?”

Reese merely smiled.

“No way, you–” Dracx’s pupils contracted.

“I thought I should die, after all, my existence didn’t matter anymore in this world. Life could go on without me, the empire doesn’t mind losing a pitiful girl. What reason is there to live if the only life I lead is a path of suffering? The only thing I could do is make people suffer, right?”

She wondered if she should’ve killed herself? She wondered if a world without her would be a better place?

Punish herself by starving her body? That sounded reasonable. Grounding herself in her room until neglect withered her soul away? That was okay too.

“My father probably felt guilt for what he said. He wanted to recover the situation, called a lot of people to try and talk me out of it, alas nothing worked– well, almost. Until that day when…” Reese’s eyelashes fluttered.

Her story continued.

===

Curtains shut, room dimmed. Reese raised her head, her aureate eye glowing in an eerie light. Dressed in a black gown, mourning clothes, she looked upon the man with the shaggy appearance.

He shook his head, “Look at you. All worked up because someone died.”

“Get out.”

She didn’t even know how he got in.

Davitt clicked his tongue. “I might consider it if you ask politely.”

Reese got up from her seat, leaving the thick magic book on the table as she took slow steps towards him.

They stood before each other. To Reese’s frown, Davitt showed a smug smile.

“Your father is worried.”

“Why does that matter?”

“It doesn’t. Come on, let’s have a talk.” Davitt strode over to her bed and sat on it without permission. Reese’s frown deepened. “It’s a well kept bed,” he said, stroking the linen.

Loneliness weighed on her heart. It had been a long time since anyone entered her room like this other than Daisy. She felt the urge to talk to someone.

‘I’ll force him to talk to me then..’

Reese sat beside Davitt. She grabbed his wrist and looked at him.

Davitt turned away immediately. “You got to do more than that to control me.”

Reese forced herself into his view. Yet, no matter how much she tried, his quick movements made it impossible for her to grasp hold of him. Eventually, she relented, her gaze cast downwards.

“Reese, what is important to you?”

There was a short pause before he began.

“Nothing is important to me,” Reese said– mulled.

“Why do you think that is?”

“Because it’s all gone.”

“Because it hurts.”

Reese felt her heart throb at his continuing words.

“How long do you think you’re going to continue to make people suffer?”

“Are you telling me to die?”

“If that’s what you wish, by all means. But if you were really considering that option, I don’t see why you would still be here, in your room, alive and healthy. I’ve met nobles who wanted to commit suicide before, none of them look so bright and beautiful like you.”

“...”

“Why do you think that is?”

“Should I kill myself then? To prove that I’m genuine?”

Keeping his gaze away, Davitt took out a knife from his pocket and held it out to Reese. She looked at it dumbly.

“Try it.”

Reese reached out with her trembling hands. She gripped the handle..

“Come on,” Davitt smiled.

Tears dripped from her eyes.

‘Crazy.. he’s crazy..’

She held the knife to her neck. For a full minute, it stayed there. Her hands refused to obey her.

‘Move.. move!’

She couldn’t.. he was right.

What right did she have to say she was atoning for her sin? In the end, wasn’t it just a big excuse?

“AAAHHHHHH!!!!!”

She pushed it in.

There was no pain, but an indescribable feeling of–

‘Ah.. I did it.. I actually..’

The world seemed to flash before her eyes.

Her vision tilted. Feeling gravity pull at her, she fell on the floor– or at least, that was what she thought.

‘I don’t want to die..’

A deep sense of despair and regret took over her mind.

‘No.. I don’t want to..’

She reached out her hand, feeling the sticky sensation of red liquid stick to her body. Her vision blurred, the world turning darker and darker– Davitt’s smile growing ever more distant..

“Deep down inside, you don’t want to die. If you had the choice, you would want to make up for it. Am I right?”

Reese blinked. She found herself still sitting on the bed, unharmed. She tried touching her neck with her bare hands.

“Am I right? Reese Rine?”

She turned to him with a blank look. Tears streamed down her eyes.

[Illusion Magic: Lucid Perception]

The main function of this gift was to act as a simple distraction during battles. The images, sounds, sensations and feelings differed from person to person, usually showing an illusion of something related to their deeper thoughts.

In Reese’s case, it showed her regrets.

She nodded.

“I can help you. The question is, do you want to help yourself?”

“How..?”

Davitt got up and held out his hands.

Reese looked at it puzzled.

“I think it’s much easier if I showed you.”

===

“Where is this?”

Beyond the tunnel were great villas built for the super wealthy. It was a place so luxurious that only the richest of Marquises could afford.

Yet for some reason, Davitt walked right into one of these fancy villas without permission. Reese had even stopped him a couple times, asking if he was sane.

{ESSENCE AVAILABLE: 17}

{ESSENCE AVAILABLE: 54}

But the moment she saw the spike in points, she stopped interrupting him. She didn’t know why she was getting points at this sort of time, but she could tell that there was something meant for her here.

“This is the house of worship. It’s strictly off limits for those that don’t join the Savior’s religion.”

‘Savior as in Hero Rika. Got it.’

Reese knew it had to be this. She wasn’t stupid not to remember the conversation he had with her father.

“What if someone enters via invite, without joining the religion afterwards.”

“I’m not sure,” Davitt gave an aloof response. “Here goes. Prepare yourself.”

Reese nodded, excited and afraid for what awaited. A huge lobby greeted her. Quartz pillars, carpeted floor, asbestos statues, luxurious furniture, all these elements arranged before a splitting spiral staircase.

{ESSENCE AVAILABLE: 401}

{ESSENCE AVAILABLE: 1024}

‘W-What in the world..’

{ESSENCE AVAILABLE: 1616}

{ESSENCE AVAILABLE: 2431}

As Davitt led Reese to the supposed ‘gathering room’, the points in her system shot into the thousands. Reese thought she must be dreaming– but no matter how many times she pinched herself, she just wouldn’t wake up.

“Today, you’re lucky that the ‘true one’ is here.”

“The ‘true one’?”

Davitt knocked on the door and announced his name without answering Reese. In the moments following, they entered.

The familiar strangeness greeted her. She couldn’t tell by appearance, but deep down inside she knew that this person was the one she saw pass her carriage.

There, she met the ‘true one’.

{ESSENCE AVAILABLE: 2432}

…

..

.

“Who is this.. ‘true one’?” Dracx asked.

“I don’t know if I should tell you. After all, it’s not something we can let people know so openly..”

“You told me about it though.”

“You’re an exception. Consider it lip service for paying for my meal,” Reese dabbed her lips with the napkin.”

“You’re using the phrase wrong.”

“Does it matter?”

“No, it doesn’t,” Dracx brushed his fingers across his hair in annoyance. “Tell me already, who is that person?”

“I don’t know.”

“Again with this?” Dracx sulked.

“I really don’t know! I only remember her face and that.. mn..” Reese fell pensive, she bit on her lips gently.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“Spill the beans.”

“That’s not how you use the phrase.”

“Reese Rine, stop with the jokes.”

“You stop with the jokes.”

“Haah.. you’re impossible,” why was it so frustrating to be around this girl– no, a deeper question, why was he attracted to her in the first place?

The both of them fell silent, Dracx observed her thinking posture. As a mature woman, this posture of her’s looked incredibly bewitching. The slight blush on her cheeks, the troubled expression of concern on her face.

“I won’t talk about it if you’re not willing alright? Let’s get back to topic–”

“I’ll tell you.”

“...”

“I’ll tell you a little bit..” her voice quivered. “The day I learnt who the ‘true one’ was..”

===

The Savior’s religion is composed of a variety of members. From elves, to beastkins; vampires to demon lords– all of them come together as one in harmony led under the ‘true one’.

Reese had come to terms that her mother’s death was simply an ‘event’ to the grand scheme of this wonderful experience known as ‘life’. Learning of a larger world, regrets no longer held any power against her.

She was taught the value of living, the value of existing, how each person held different beliefs and thoughts. It was only through understanding this that Reese was allowed to study occult magic, sacrificial magic and alchemy.

Many things she learnt from books passed down from this religion’s beginnings, many others she gained from meeting the other cardinals.

Reese was special, someone who the ‘true one’ trusted enough to give her a ‘purpose’. While the vision of the other cardinals turned out to be something along the lines of making peace with the demons and monsters, Reese had been entrusted with something much, much greater…

“Distort his memories of the recent events in his mind, take care of him until he recovers. I’ll come back in a month, if you do well, you’ll be promoted to a cardinal.”

“Huh?”

One day, the ‘true one’ brought her a kid. He was in tatters, a half conscious state, his body covered in monster blood.

“W-What in the world…”

The ‘true one’ didn’t even bother to explain the mission as she just teleported right out of the room.

“Wait! What do I need to do..” Reese shut up, realizing how her voice would reach no one.

She looked at the boy on the ground–

‘Should I be panicking?’

Normally one should assess whether or not the person is alive, right? But the fact that the ‘true one’ brought him here meant that he was in no immediate danger– or should such be the case?

“What should I do about you..” Reese groaned.

Should she call a maid? No, Her standing in the house was already shaky, with her father doing all he could to pry her away from what he says to be ‘a cult’. She killed someone and boasted about it in front of her father during one of the dinners they had. In a world where people often died, she thought it was alright to talk about it– who would’ve expected that her father would misunderstand.

The problem here was that if the maids found out about this boy, they would no doubt inform her father. Reese imagined the crazy rumors that would spread around the home if they saw this scene here. She would be questioned, and then grounded. It was troublesome enough to be banned from going to the villa to meet up with the other members of the group.

And while it would be convenient to brainwash the maids, she wanted to avoid that option by all means. It ate at her conscience.

“I’ll wait for him to sober up first.”

Reese sat beside him and waited.

‘What happened to him anyways?’

She couldn’t help but be curious. She observed his features– he didn’t seem to be injured, but his clothes were all dirt and blood. He wasn’t unconscious either.

“Hello?” She called out to him.

Surprisingly, he responded by looking at her.

“Wow!” Reese jumped up on her feet.

He looked away.

Reese blinked, she came nearer to him.

“Are you.. okay?”

“...”

“You can hear me, right?”

“...”

“Hey, say somethi–”

“Kill me already,” finally he opened his mouth.

Reese was stunned into a daze.

“What’s the point of all this? Why did she bring me here after telling me all that? Why? Is there a point? She should’ve just killed me..”

“Wow, hold on there young man. Let’s talk through this one step at a time alright?”

“.. What are you going to do to me?” he sat up.

“Um, I don’t know? What do I need to do to you?” Reese distanced herself.

He contrived an ice spear and pointed it at himself.

He swung– no.

“Hey..!”

Reese grabbed it before it reached his heart. She grabbed his neck and forced him to look at her. Her eyes glittered.

[Charm Magic: Transient Servitude]

His eyes turned a duller shade.

“No killing yourself, it’s prohibited. Got it?”

“Un,” he lowered his head

“And no using this weapon on anyone,” Reese felt a shudder from his resolve alone. If he really had the intention to kill himself there, Reese would’ve probably not been able to stop the blade from impaling him. “Let’s get you washed up alright?”

“Un…”

===

“Milady…”

“Ngh.. five more minutes..”

“Milady!”

“Uwah?! What?” Reese shot up from her duvet and tousled her already messy hair.

Daisy was looking right at her.

“Who may he be?” she asked, turning to Sequencee who was looking at the two of them while sitting on the floor.

“Ah… just someone I picked up from the streets,” Reese responded with an aversive answer.

Sequencee’s brow arched inwards. He wanted to retort her but decided against it.

“It’s alright if I took care of him for a little while.. please mama Daisy, please?” Reese begged.

Daisy looked at Sequencee with concern. .

“He’ll be a good boy, I promise,” Reese quipped.

“Reese, I hope you don’t have a child before you come of age…”

“W-What! Not a chance!”

“Haha…” Sequence cracked a boring laugh.

“What’s so funny!” Reese wanted to smack him by the head.

‘Of course mama Daisy would come to such a conclusion. It’s the first time I’ve brought a boy to my home– no, wait. It was forced upon me!’

One month. Reese just needed to stay with him for one month– that was what the ‘true one’ said.

Reese looked at him again. Noticing her stare, he looked back at her. They locked gazes for a couple seconds–

“What are you looking at?” Sequencee asked.

“Nothing. Your back hurts sleeping on the floor right?”

“No.”

Last night, after cleaning himself, the cliche argument of ‘who gets to sleep on the bed’ was won by Reese. Actually, it couldn’t even be considered a fight. He slept on the floor– it wasn’t like he had any intentions of sleeping in luxury anyways. Reese wasn’t kind enough to let him on her sacred bed either. He should be glad he had a place to stay to begin with–

“I still have class today. So you’re going to have to eat breakfast early.”

“...thanks.”

“No need. I’m responsible for taking care of you for the meantime– Mama Daisy, food is prepared already right? Mama Daisy? Sheesh!”

Daisy, in silent prayer, didn’t pay attention to Reese’s voice.

– Spring has finally come for her little princess.

Reese shook her shoulders back to the present.

“Y-Yes milady. Apologies for earlier, what were you saying?”

“Prepare him a set too.”

“Ah? A set?”

“Yes, a set.”

“Milday.. I’m afraid we don’t have male uniforms..”

“N-No, no! That’s not what I meant.”

So the chaotic morning began like that.

At the breakfast table..

“I’ll only be back in the evening, so you have no choice but to stay in the mansion until I return.”

“Yeah..” Sequencee sullenly cut the meat slices into small pieces.

The viscount, Reese’s father wasn’t around– if he were Sequencee would be dead toast.

“And, don’t you go on killing yourself.”

“...”

“Or do you want me to force the order on you?”

“I won’t.”

“Good… hey,” Reese wetted her throat with some water. “Tell me what happened.”

“...”

“What happened between you and the ‘true one’? What happened before this?”

“Nothing.”

“Nothing?”

“She picked me up and apologized. The next thing I knew, I was at your place.”

“Where are you from then?”

“I’m from..” his voice tapered off inaudibly.

“Where..?”

“...” Sequencee clenched his teeth, a shadow loomed over his face.

“Rest and think through it. When I come back from school, I’ll ask again. I don’t know why she told me to brainwash you.”

“So if I don’t answer you’re going to force an answer from me?”

“Perhaps..”

‘I am curious as to what happened before scrambling his memories–’

Truth was, Reese couldn’t actually remove memories from people. The best she could do was to jumble it up with a bunch of other memories, creating a permanent loop in his mind while he was under her charm. It was something like self-hypnosis. Not guaranteed to work all the time, but it had some effect.

The only reason such a thing was possible was because her gift [Charm Magic: Transient Servitude] had already reached its second tier.

They didn’t say anything to each other throughout the duration of the meal.

===

“Roel, Eryka, morning,” was the first thing Reese said when she reached her seat. A long yawn caught the attention of the two.

“Morning,” Roel greeted.

“Good morning Reese– what’s wrong?” Eryka asked.

“Something interesting just happened.”

It had been about four years since the incident. While there was still some negative slander towards Reese, most of it had subsided after she got into the Saviors’ religion. It wasn’t that the ‘true one’ took action to quell the rumors, rather, Reese just changed herself.

Changing her outlook, everything around her had matched up.

People talk bad behind her back? Ignore it.

People asking her upfront about it? Apologize.

Sure, it was painful in the beginning– she was even harassed by a few of them, but as time went on, these things faded. Holding onto it and letting her mistake define her– falling into a cycle of depravity and depression, it wasn’t going to help was it?

So she got back up, and humbly held her head high. Turning pain into motivation, she became a charismatic lady who many now admire.

Eryka had also changed for the better. People grow up and evolve, no one stays the same forever.

“Interesting? What’s interesting?”

“Eh.. I don’t want to talk about it,” Reese puffed out her cheeks.

“How dare you! Spit it out!”

“Eryka, I think it’s unwise to push her like this…” Roel chuckled.

“Fine, fine. You better tell me when you can, otherwise I’ll definitely..”

“Definitely what?” Reese’s eyes glimmered.

“Ah, it can’t be helped,” Eryka pouted.

“Anyways, how’s preparation for the final exams?” Roel switched the topic.

“Just revising the materials. I have most of it done.”

“Already? What a prodigy– hey, can I come over to your place to study?”

“Hm, that’s quick. I think you’ll have no problems with the practical examinations too?”

“I think that won’t be a problem either– and Eryka, no, unfortunately you won’t be able to come to my home to study for the next month.”

“Why?”

“Something came up, that’s why..” Reese groaned. If not for Sequencee, she would gladly have Eryka over.

“Is it related? To what’s bothering you?” Roel asked.

“What makes you think that?” Cold seat poured down her back.

“Your expression.”

“Bing bong!” Eryka mouthed.

“It’s that obvious huh..”

“Come on! Spill the beans already!”

Roel’s expression suddenly turned serious. “Does it have to do with the Estia incident?”

In turn, Reese’s showed a befuddled look. “Huh? No…”

“Ah, sorry. I thought because your father manages an army so.. maybe he was asked to head over or something..”

“No, no. It’s nothing like that. Not that serious..”

‘The Estia incident huh?’

The news of the total decimation of Estia barony, a well-known agricultural-tourist domain, had reached the capital. It was believed that the demon army was aiming for a deeper territory like Coulley’s march or Luddite Earldom, however, thanks to Anna the Rending Wind’s sacrifice, the demon army never reached its destined target.

Coinciding with that was news pertaining to the imperial princess’ absence. Rumors were going around saying that she went to Estia secretly to mourn for Anna’s death. After all, Anna was the one who saved her from an abduction incident a few months ago.

The fact that the demon empire chose to act at this sort of time only fueled the enmity of the two empires. This made it harder to spread Savior's religion which placed importance on equality among the races.

“Reese?” Eryka called out, seeing as she had gone silent.

“Ah, sorry, where were we..?”

“Eryka, I think it’s better if we gave Reese some space to think,” Roel said.

“No, no really. My family isn’t directly involved, I was just thinking…”

“Thinking about?”

‘Could Sequencee have something to do with what happened then..?’

Reese’s intuition was telling her. But by logic, the assault clearly happened weeks ago, Estia should be rebuilding, it didn’t make sense for someone like him to be in such a devastated situation..

Reese began reassessing the ‘true ones’ real intention.

===

“I’m home.”

“Welcome home milady,” the butler bowed courteously at her arrival.

She alighted from the carriage, Daisy following close behind her. Standing near the entrance alongside the maids was Sequencee, who gave a show of respect by bowing.

“How have you been?”

“I’ve been fine, milady,” Sequence replied.

“...”

“What?”

“N-Nothing. You’ll be having a meal with me, go get yourself ready.”

“Right.”

‘Really? He called me milady?’

His words were bad for her heart. She thought she was going to die from asphyxiation.

Reese went to clean herself before coming to the eating hall. Sequencee had been waiting there, seemingly engrossed in reading an unusually thick book.

“What’s that?”

“Oh, my apologies, I wasn’t aware of milady’s presence,” Sequencee quickly got up and bowed.

“Stop it with ‘milady’.”

“Then what should I call you? Your name?” He asked as if challenging her.

‘The hell is up with him?’

“Fine. Call me by my name,” Reese responded back with an obdurate tone of her own.

“Got it.”

“Call me by my name.”

“Damn you Reese.”

“Good. I’ll go tell the chefs to begin serving.”

Reese came a tad earlier than usual knowing that Sequencee would likely be here. Otherwise, the food would’ve been arranged on the table before her arrival.

“So, are you going to tell me what happened to you before this?” Reese asked again.

“Is it important to know?”

“Can’t I know? Is it some secret thing that shouldn’t be known to the others?”

Reese informed the maids standing nearby to leave the room.

“Now then, speak.”

“Haha,” Sequencee gave a short laugh, said nothing, and began eating.

Reese felt a vein pop.

“You’re from Estia, right?”

“...”

He remained tight lipped. Thinking that it was a futile cause, she was just about to use [Charm Magic: Transient Servitude] when his words stopped her dead.

“She killed my mother.”

“.. Pardon?”

“SHE killed my mother” He turned to her with his murky eyes. Reese felt a chill crawl down her spine, the deep darkness those blue eyes possessed, it riveted her in place– she could feel it, the pain, anguish, sorrow– rage.

‘She? Who is he talking about?’

“Reese, who is she to you? Your friend? Your boss?” His voice was clear, resolved.

“What do you mean? Who is she…”

“That person who brought me here.”

“Ah.. she..” Reese couldn’t stop trembling. Just who is she? “She’s.. um, she’s the ‘true one’.”

“The true one?”

“One of the progenitors of the Savior’s religion.”

“Heard of it, don’t know what it’s about.”

“It’s a religion which worships Hero Rika. Carrying her wish, us acolytes work to reunite the demons, humans and demi-humans in order achieve peace, equanimity, and balance to..

Sequencee slammed the table.

“DON’T FUCK WITH ME!”

Reese's mind went blank.

“SHE KILLED EVERYBODY! SHE BLOODY FUCKING KILLED EVERYONE! AND HERE YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT PEACE AND HAPPINESS?! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT NONSENSE YOU’RE SAYING?!”

“She..”

Reese’s mind struggled to process his words– no, she denied them.

“You say she’s the head of some noble religion? So pushed you to the brink of desperation and comes swooping in to save your life, now you think you’re in debt to her? Is this what she did to pull you into her faith?” His eyes were burning. The emotions which he had been keeping inside, it all came pouring out like lava..

‘The true one.. did that? No, that can’t be right.. he’s wrong, there’s no way that’s true..’

[Charm Magic: Transient Servitude]

She couldn’t stand it. She didn’t believe it.

Staring into his eyes, her eyes glowed. “Calm down and tell me the truth.”

“It is the truth, Reese,” he said with murky eyes.

She trembled.

“Did you think I lied? Why do you put your faith in her? What kind of religious cult worships an arsonist..”

“Shut up!” Reese felt the world tremble, her vision waned, a buzz in her ear.

Denial– there’s no way her faith could've been wrong, no way. The ‘true one’ gave them so much. She was generous, benevolent, mysterious– the perfect image of one living in a transcendent realm.

‘Calm down, calm down..’

Reese gripped the fabric of her dress near the chest, she took in a couple deep breaths to settle her mind. Slowly, she lifted her head.

He was looking at her.

She was looking at him.

– There was no way he could be lying. He was under her control even now.

“Y-You.. don’t tell anyone about what happened here today,” Reese’s voice quivered.

“I know.”

He returned to slicing the bread. Meanwhile, the appetite to eat had left Reese completely.

===

“Reese, oi Reese.”

“Hm?”

“Something happened at home, right?” Eryka narrowed her eyes.

“Ugh, I know you want me to say it but I’m not going to go. Nada.” Reese crossed her arms.

“You’re just making me curious!”

“Seriously, it’s making us worried, you know?” Roel said, tossing a piece of meatball into his mouth.

“Who was the one who said not to butt in a few days ago?”

“That’s that, this is this,” Eryka defended Roel.

It was the midday break. The three gathered at the academy’s garden arbor. The weather wasn’t too hot out today, nor was it cloudy.

“Hypothetically, what if.. you learnt that your closest family turns out to be a bad guy?” Reese muttered.

“Closest family?”

“Are you talking about that incident.. no. What do you mean?”

Reese shook her head, “Hypothetically, what would you do? If someone said that someone close to you did some despicable things.”

“Despicable as in?”

“Eryka, just assume.”

“Without context I can’t make any guesses.”

“You can always imagine.”

Reese bit into her sandwich as she waited for the two to formulate an answer.

Eryka cleared her throat. “Well, first and foremost I’d need to ascertain the legitimacy of the matter. If it’s false, then the matter was a needless concern. If otherwise however.. I’d confront her, or maybe him in your case–” she grinned, “– personally.”

Reese nodded.

“I’d go along the same lines. However, if I may add, since you have your gift, you can force a confession easily. Listen to the explanation properly before judging the matter at the surface. There is likely a deeper reason to why he or she took such an action,” said Roel.

“Mn, okay.”

===

“He’s not here to greet me today?”

“He must have lost track of time in the study room.”

“Study room?” Reese alighted from the carriage and entered home. “Is he alright? He didn’t do anything weird like trying to kill himself, did he?”

Daisy gave her an odd look. “Nothing of that sort. Could he have some situation I don’t know about?”

“Un. Keep a close eye on him.”

Instead of changing into a more comfortable garment, she headed to where he was.

A small library of books, in the middle sat a large circular table. Tens of books were neatly stacked on top of each other, seated slumped over in the seat was a dozed off Sequencee.

Reese killed the sound of her footsteps and approached him.

She bent down to observe the features of his face. It was the first time seeing him so up close. He was quite the looker in her opinion.

“He’s cute alright,” she muttered under her breath.

Then glancing over the books, she scanned the title. All of them were information pertaining to magic.

“Why did you leave him in my care, O’ true one.”

‘What do you have to hide?’

Reese looked at the clock on the wall then at the sleeping boy once more.

She reached out her hands, about to touch his hair when his eyes jolted open. She halted.

He pushed her hands away without saying anything.

‘How disappointing.’

“Sorry.”

“Well, this saves the trouble of having to wake you up. Come on, let’s go.”

“You can go without me. I’m not hungry,” he turned his attention to the book in front of him.

“No way. I can’t let you starve. Let’s go.”

“No.”

“Yes. Come on.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“...”

“You can’t even focus on your book.”

“Reese, what in the hell do you intend to do with me anyways? I’m not going to convert into your faith.”

“I don’t know what I intend to do with you. I was told to remove your memories, but that’s honestly just impossible,” Reese signed.

“If such a gift existed, that person would be the reigning king.”

“Harsh words. You’d be called out for les majesty if you aren’t careful.”

“So be it.”

Reese closed his book and dangled it in front of him.

“No point studying on an empty stomach, let’s go eat.”

“Can you not do it?” Sequencee asked in a severe tone, not avoiding her eyes.

“Do what?”

“Erase my memories?”

“.. I can’t. I can only scramble them, but it’s unlikely to reach a level where you lose your memories.”

“Then I’ll become a puppet..” Sequencee laid his head on the table. “.. There’s no reason left so might as well..”

Reese smacked the book against his head.

“Ouch!”

“If you’re going to say as much, then listen to my every word like a puppet. Time-To-Eat. I’m hungry already.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Sequence got up reluctantly. He was about to pick out a book to bring alond when Reese interrupted.

“No books. You can always come back later. Come on!”

===

Reese closed the book and leaned against the splat of her cushiony chair. Her black hair curled up her shoulders, cascading downwards behind. She stared at the ceiling for a few moments.

“I can’t even think about my exams..”

The finals were coming soon, yet here she was worrying over a brat.

“What arsonist? There’s no way the ‘true one’ is the cause of it. He must’ve mistaken her for someone else, definitely,” Reese convinced herself.

[Shadow Magic: Shadow Empress]

Melting into one with darkness, her shadow slipped under the door and she sneaked out of her bedroom.

It had been days since his arrival. So it was a given that a room had been prepared for him.

Reese thought he should be grateful that she had gone out of the way to arrange his living services here. No noble was as kind as herself–

Appearing before the door of his room, she adjusted her nightgown before knocking on the door.

The individual on the other side took the liberty of opening the door.

They stared at each other silently.

How many times has this happened already? Twenty? Thirty? Reese had lost count.

It was unusual, abnormal. Even she found herself drawn to his gaze.

He should’ve already known about her gift yet.. he didn’t mind it. It was rare that anyone would exchange an unbreaking gaze with her. Even Roel, who she found had a crush on her, would actively avoid her eyes.

“What is it?”

Anyhow, this brat had become quite cocky now that he was used to the living environment here.

“I came to talk about that thing.”

“What thing?”

“You know, that thing?”

“Don’t know what you’re referring to, but if you want me to talk, ask away.”

He didn’t look away from her. Not even once.

Was he not afraid that she would possess him? Or did he trust her?

No.

Those days she locked herself up in her room, assuming penance. He was just like her in the past.

“How pitiful,” Reese really pitied him.

“Excuse me?” his expression darkened.

“Hold the door. I’ll go grab something–”

Reese disappeared into the shadows.

“The hell..”

Sequencee didn’t know what she was planning. Whatever it was, it didn’t matter. He stood leaning against the door, waiting.

He closed his eyes and sensed his surroundings.

Reese’s presence returned, but he kept his eyes closed.

“Hey.”

Sequencee assumed sleep.

“Hello? Don’t tell me you actually fell asleep.”

Reese jabbed his cheeks. Sequencee did his best to not react, but alas, she noticed him flinching.

“So you’re awake huh?”

“...”

She leaned in till their foreheads touched. She felt him lean back a little, but she wasn’t going to let him escape so easily. Her warm breath caressed his cheeks.

“If you don’t wake up, I’ll kiss you,” her lovely sweet words swayed his heart.

“Damn it, alright, let’s go,” he pushed her away.

Sequencee entered his room, rubbing his cheeks in hopes to rid of his blush. Reese tilted her head.

“What? Are you inviting me into your room?”

“Huh? Isn’t that what you plan to do?”

“Ew, no. You and I are going to sneak into the study instead.”

“At this sort of hour? Don’t you have class tomorrow?”

“Don’t speak like my father! Now, let’s go!”

Reese grabbed his hand, a black pool spread below.

This was the first time Sequencee was experiencing this. But he trusted the process and allowed the shadow to engulf him whole.

===

“From today onwards, you’re going to be keeping this journal, got that? Don’t miss a single day of it.”

“What’s the point of this anyways?”

“For your happiness sake, do it.”

“Why do you even care?”

They glared at each other.

“Because I am responsible for taking care of you.”

“You’re not my mom.”

“So what?”

“I don’t see a point in this..” Sequencee pushed the journal aside and laid on the table.

“Hey, hey. Write it down already.”

“Fine..”

Sequencee grabbed the quill loosely with his hands and scribbled a few words in the journal.

‘I’m grateful for the lovely Reese.’

“PFfftt. You really do like me after all.”

“I was just writing whatever came to mind. Now what?”

“Do this tomorrow too. Every day, write down something you’re grateful for, five at least, anything that comes to the top of your mind.”

“It’s pointless work isn’t it?”

“It’s not pointless. Just trust me,” Reese resolved not to let him get away with it.

This gratitude journal exercise was something the ‘true one’ taught Reese. In the beginning, Reese was skeptical of its effects, having said that it was ‘magic’. But as the months went on, Reese found that the practice had helped brighten her world.

It wasn’t an omnipotent tool, but it did the trick to clear nasty emotions.

“I don’t get it. Why not just turn me into your slave already.. that’s what the so called ‘true one’ wanted right?” Sequencee muttered.

“.. I don’t know.”

“Can’t even follow your superior’s orders properly, how devout.”

“You’re being sarcastic, I don’t like it.”

“...”

“Sequencee, look. I’m a human just like you too. I don’t know what kind of past you had, or why you’re here, but as a fellow human being, I want to help you.”

“Reese, to be honest, I’m not human.”

“???”

Saying that, the illusion broke. Sequencee revealed his horns.

Reese blinked a couple times.

“You’re a Majin?”

“Demon lord.”

“A.. ha?”

“Demon Lord. I’m a demon lord.”

“No, no. Wait, hold on. You?”

“Who else?”

“No, but.. w-what happened to your horns? Who.. did this..?” Reese was stunned, and somewhat horrified.

His confession hadn’t quite sunk in yet. However, as someone who had many demon compatriots in the Savior's religion, she knew what a damaged horn entailed.

“Now that you know, kill me before it’s too late.”

“No, no, no. Tell me, who did this? Who cut your horns..? Those damn demon hunters?”

Sequencee didn’t even know how to continue with her question.

The one who cut his horn was obviously his mother.

However, seeing her reaction here, he thought it would be a bad idea to say so much.

“Sequencee, I don’t care if you’re a demon or human. I’m not like the other’s,” Reese declared with a pout.

“Even though you know how evil the demons are?”

“Where did you learn that from huh? Who says demons are bad?”

“Even though they destroyed my home..?”

“Jeez, this conversation is getting nowhere,” Reese finally took a seat. She heaved a heavy sigh. “Let’s return to the topic. Sequencee, please do the journaling exercise every day. It’s going to help with your mental state.”

“Sure..”

“The next thing I wanted to talk about is..”

‘It’s not the right time to bring up this topic now, isn’t it..?’

Reese wanted to know how the ‘true one’ was related to his current situation. However, having seen his horn, a part of her was afraid to face the truth.

“.. why do you keep looking at me?”

“Since there’s no point in resisting, I might as well give myself up. You know?” Sequencee said in a low voice.

“What a bland answer. You already know that I won’t do such a thing– unless it’s an emergency of course.”

“How about you? Why do you keep looking at me even though you know your gaze implies that?” his pupils moved to meet her’s.

“I don’t know. Because you keep looking at me?” Reese wondered about it herself.

“Good night.”

“Wow, are you my little brother or something? To say something like that to a girl.. hey, don’t tell me you’re actually going to sleep here, hey!”

Reese couldn’t wake him up no matter how hard she shook him.

“If you don’t wake up I’m going to kiss you..” She bit her lips.

“...” only his breathing resounded.

“.. Don’t.. blame me for this.”

Reese hooked her hair over her ear and leaned in.

Under the table, Sequencee’s finger twitched.

===

“Miss Daisy, can you call Sequencee up?”

“The boy? He’s already awake.”

“Already huh–” Reese pushed the door of the dining hall open. She didn’t need to complete her sentence.

“Morning,” Sequence lowered his book and greeted.

“O-Oh, morning.”

Sequencee was already seated in the dining hall.

She who had just come out of the bath with her fresh uniform took her usual seat, finding his proactiveness today unusual.

Sequence shut the book he was reading. “You didn’t have to carry me last night.”

“Ah? So you were awake after all?!”

Reese remembered provoking him with a kiss to the cheek, thinking that he was actually asleep. So it was a fluke!

“Oh dear me, what did I just hear?” Daisy gasped in awe.

“This guy says he wants to be my slave but doesn’t listen to me at all, isn’t that just weird mama Daisy?!”

“Reese dear, I don’t think it’s wise to speak of such a thing before the person in question.”

“He’s at fault!”

“Whatever you say milady, whatever you say,” Sequencee quipped. He picked up his fork and dug in first.

“See! See! He’s now trying to provoke me!” Reese was flustered– she was ‘acting’ flustered.

“Excuse me, please enjoy your breakfast.” Daisy giggled and left after a prompt bow.

“Waah! Mama Daisy abandoned me!”

Despite Reese’s plea, Daisy didn’t turn back.

“Sorry.”

“What?”

Reese picked up her fork and stabbed into the sausage. She shot a glare towards him.

“If you want to turn me into a slave, you’re still free to do so.”

“It’s not like I actually have such an intention.”

“Then what.. you know, nevermind.”

“Hm..?”

“I’ll tell you about when the time is right, not now. It’ll only seem like I’m trying to make you mad.”

“You’re making me really curious though.”

“The exact thing I asked about last night. You didn’t have an answer, so there’s no point wanting to ask about it.”

“Last night..?”

Reese couldn’t recall anything noteworthy besides the semi-heavy discussion they had in the study.. no, there was the kiss. But that wasn’t something he asked about though?

“Anyways, stay safe,” Sequencee looked straight at her, “And take care today in school.”

Those words were ingrained deeply in her mind. The way he said it, she didn’t know why it felt so reassuring.

“I will.” Reese responded in kind.

…

..

.

“I took care of him for the rest of the month. He followed my instructions and his condition improved. At one point he tried to help me out with my studies– even though he was rubbish at everything except magic. We got to know each other and.. I think I sorta fell for him. You know, perhaps he was my first love, short lived of course,” Reese said, uncertain of it herself. Her memories then were all fuzzy in her mind now.

“So you know of him from way back then? Then.. why did you suddenly decide that you’ll be with the hero..?”

“Maybe I forgot.”

“Forgot?”

“He disappeared with the ‘true one’ after a month, just as she promised. And it was as if he never entered my life in the first place. Three years passed, who would’ve thought we’d cross paths again eh?”

“Reese, if he was your first love, I think it’s deplorable that you could just forget him like that.”

“I think so too. Isn’t it dumb of me?” she said with a regretful smile on her face.

Why did she forget; how did she remember?

She didn’t know the answer to the first question.

As for the second question, she was aware that it was something that should’ve been kept in the dark. These were moments, sealed fragments of her memories which were revealed after returning from death.

Dracx picked up the bottle of wine and titled the remainder of the content into his glass. “So, your childhood friend loses to the hero in the end, I suppose?”

“What? That’s so cliche, so you’re into stories like that?”

“It’s a popular trope no?”

“I suppose so,” Reese shrugged.

“So, in the end, who was the ‘true one’?”

Reese looked towards the window– a bright moonlit sky just like that day–

.

..

…

Her figure glowed faintly under the light of the moon.

“Cardinal,” she called out.

“Have you distorted his memory?”

“I’ve not.”

“Do it now, before it becomes ingrained further inside him.”

“Cardinal, were you the one who destroyed his home?” Reese’s eyes narrowed, a trace of hesitation could be seen within those clear gold eyes.

“Yes,” an answer devoid of sympathy, the ‘true one’ was strangely blunt in her answer today.

“Why?”

“All in the name of ushering in a New Dawn,” ‘she’ looked up at the moon– the stars.

“What does he.. have to do with this?”

Reese choked on her own words.

– Ushering in a New Dawn.

The answer was laid bare before her. ‘She’ had turned Sequencee’s everything into her sacrifice. His home, his friends, his companions– his only mother.

For the sake of the future, these ‘offerings’ were the kind of things their religion did often– yet why was it today that Reese found it such a bitter pill to swallow?

‘She’ did not answer.

Reese took a step forward.

“Cardinal, why did you spare him?” she spoke louder this time.

‘She’ finally turned to her. “Wipe out his memories of everything that happened here and the disaster at Estia. I’m bringing him back.”

“Cardinal. Explain to me why like you always do. I don’t understand why I need to do that.”

“I can’t Reese, this is different. Even if you knew you wouldn’t be able to understand.”

“So what? Just because I can’t understand it now, it doesn’t mean I won’t be able to understand it in the future.”

“Reese, are you afraid something might happen to him?”

Reese’s eyes shook.

“I can tell as much.”

“No, you’re misunderstanding.”

“Then why do you hesitate?”

“That’s because..”

Reese had killed people with a smile on her face. Soaked her body in pools of blood. Severed limbs and gutted organs for ritual offerings.

And here this girl was unable to tamper with the memory of a kid?

“He doesn't want to go back. He’s comfortable living here. There’s no reason for him to return to the demon empire right? Have you seen his horns? If the demons there found out about it he’ll be ridiculed. He has been living with us humans all his life, he might not be able to get used to life in the demon empire. His mental state had only stabilized a few days ago, it’s unwise to suddenly put him into another environment. He also said that he doesn’t want to go back, so–”

“Reese. That is not an excuse.”

“If bringing down his hostility is all you need then we don’t need to go out of the way to use my gift. Just.. let him stay here, until he properly recovers.. I’ll tell you when it’s done. He won’t cause any problems, I swear..!”

“Reese.”

“Please.. I beg you.. just this, just this once..!”

The one whom she had served all her life.

‘She’ was the one who did it. ‘She’ was the one who destroyed his home, killed thousands of humans, broke her own oath to reunite the human and demons–

She didn’t know why she was crying anymore–

Because ‘her’ perfect image which Reese believed in was shattered or..

Everything after that was a blur.

…

..

.

“Thank you for tonight.”

“It was a pleasure.”

“Well, it’s mutual. The food was great,” Reese giggled.

“Well, I shall take my leave.”

“Oh, let’s go together.”

“No, we shouldn’t.”

“Wow, I got rejected~”

“You rejected me first, fool.”

“Heh.”

Reese made sure he paid before he left.

It was cold. Out in sparse streets lit by the warm light of the lamps, they bode each other a final goodbye.

“Then.. at least let me say,” Reese cleared her throat, “Let’s hope we meet again!”

Dracx smirked. “Keep an eye out for Matilda for me.”

“Sure thing.. wait, what?”

“We’ll meet again for sure.”

Dracx’s voice tapered off into the distance. Reese didn’t say anything, he didn’t turn back either. Just like that, their date was over.

Reese tilted her head. “Matilda? That runner up lady?”

‘Whatever, better go back home. Master must be worried about me..’

She looked up at the sky.

“If I hadn’t died back then.. ” She muttered warily under her breath.

Everything about her went through a reset after she died to Aaron’s minions, her memories becoming defragmented like a library knocked down and reconstructed. Books which were once lost had been put back in place.

And because of it she realized:

– Her wish to bear the hero’s child..

Wasn’t her own to begin with.

“I have to thank Sir Aaron.”