Chapter 58

# 58

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The bratty kid who entered his house was definitely not ordinary.

Whatever this kid was doing, with all sorts of tricks to make people angry, it was a remarkable talent that even made them angry.

'This kid has a talent for captivating people, too.'

While Margaret might be kind to Nabiya out of concern for her daughter, it was the first time he had seen the iron-blooded Solomon act like a doting grandfather.

Even the timid Minerva, who was usually so timid, had acted fearlessly, as if possessed.

"Annoying."

He unconsciously clenched his fist, but stopped when he noticed the cake was slightly squished.

"Tsk. What a ridiculous stunt."

Trying to bribe him with food—did they think he was an eight-year-old kid?

It was a childish and insignificant idea.

"......"

'If I leave this, it will rot.'

He had no intention of cast a preservation spell on this useless cake.

He didn't want to keep it in his room and endure the smell of decay, nor did he want to throw it out and hear the nobles come running and pleading.

'No choice.'

Lark reluctantly, and truly out of necessity, took a big bite of the cake.

"Hmm."

He scowled and glared at the cake in his hand.

"Is it spoiled?"

No, it wasn't the unpleasant sourness. It seemed to be a mix of cream cheese and lemon.

"What a terrible taste."

He had considered throwing it away but, having tasted it, he forced the rest into his mouth.

'It's been quite a while since I last ate something directly.'

But why lemon cream cheese? That kid really had a variety of talents for annoying him.

Lark grumbled and finished the cake in his hand.

He detested sourness.

He had forced himself to eat the piece in his hand, but he didn't want to eat more of the cake, which was still nearly half a circle.

'I'll leave it in the kitchen, and they'll take care of it.'

Snap!

He immediately moved to the first floor.

"Ha ha ha!"

As he approached the kitchen, a faint laugh mixed with the light leaking out.

Lark's steps slowed, as if he were sinking into quicksand.

He heard Margaret's voice from inside.

"I need to do something with my hair tomorrow."

Minerva followed.

"I, I also……"

His steps, which had reached the door, suddenly stopped.

A long, golden line appeared vertically on his body.

The kitchen was filled with a warm, delicious smell.

The warmth of people, laughter, and the soft murmur of conversation, along with the bright lights, made the scene inside look like a beautiful moment from a story.

Lark watched this world, unable to blend in.

He couldn't dare to approach.

If he intruded, this picture would surely be ruined.

He was fundamentally different from them.

In the midst of the three adults, a girl was bustling about, rolling up her sleeves and moving briskly.

The expression on the child's face that Lark had seen was dry and desolate.

A child whose will to live burned brightly, like a blazing fire……

Now, there was vitality.

The child, who had once shone like a gem, now resembled a sprout bursting with intense life.

It was a warm and pleasant scene.

Lark recalled his own very early childhood.

"Mother! I made some food. Try this—"

"Get out! You dirty monster. Please leave me alone!"

His eyes stung.

The silver hair that cut through the air kept bringing up memories he had tried to forget.

It was a crack.

A red crack that split and shattered his body, just like the crack that split the black mansion.

That's why seeing the child always hurt.

Lark's expression gradually turned from cold to harsh.

'...Damn it.'

Why had he come here in the first place?

Whether the nobles made a fuss or not, he could have just thrown away this cake.

Snap!

As soon as he returned to his room, he opened the window and threw the cake outside.

Nabiya's integration into this place was similar to what he had once wished for, what he had once dreamed of.

It reminded him of a day when he had hoped to be happy.

"Happiness, huh."

Happiness was an illusion.

Through countless reincarnations, Lark had become convinced that happiness did not exist in this world.

This world was filled with nothing but unhappiness. The unhappy believed in happiness as if it were a god.

Lark no longer dreamed of such things. He had awakened from the nightmare of happiness. He simply faced reality.

Then.

Flash!

Something caught Lark's eye.

If it hadn't faintly reflected in the sunset, an ordinary person would never have noticed it.

Lark frowned and extended his hand.

The object he was focusing on instantly moved into his hand.

A shabby hairpin fell into his palm.

It was the pearl hairpin Nabiya had discarded.

The paint was peeling off, and it was rusted from the rain. The pearl, which seemed to be fake, had become cloudy.

'Is this the kid's?'

Lark closed the window, flopped onto the sofa, and glared at the hairpin in his hand.

He threw it onto the table, where he noticed three scattered letters.

These were also traces of the child's intrusion into his domain.

Changes were happening.

Something was starting in this place where all possibilities had been killed.

"Anyway, it's only a matter of time."

No matter how much they struggled and clung to false hope, when Lark died, this world would disappear.

This cycle was coming to an end.

#10.

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Happy Illusion

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It was already mid-November.

The sun set even faster, and night fell.

In the bustling areas, shops stayed open late with their lights on, but in the outskirts, shops closed early.

The capital, which had lost its influence with the decline of the Asselred Dukedom and the disappearance of the Ailts Dukedom eight years ago, had seen a steady decline in security.

In the slums on the outskirts of the capital.

A luxurious carriage, out of place on the damp and dirty streets, slowly came to a stop.

A gentleman in a black overcoat stepped out of the carriage.

He wore a mask that covered his entire face.

The man walked down a narrow street and opened several old doors.

Finally, when he opened the last heavy, mahogany door,

Click.

A vast casino spread out below the red carpeted stairs.

The gentleman who had arrived was Nikan Agnes.

Nikan, like the others, crossed through the crowd of people wearing masks and enjoying themselves, and reached the exact location.

He showed his membership card to a staff member wearing a wolf mask and was led to a secret room.

The door opened, and a blonde dealer inside greeted him politely.

"Welcome, sir."

The membership card Nikan showed was only given to VVIPs who spent over 20 million gold annually at this casino.

They were provided with special services unique to this casino.

"Is there something you wish to request?"

"I want a kid killed."

"Assassinations incur additional fees, but is that acceptable?"

Their conversation sounded like a transaction for a nice piece of jewelry at a jewelry store.

Nikan replied.

"Whatever it takes."

The blonde dealer's eyes widened.

Anyone who could afford this level of service was an incredibly wealthy person who wouldn't care about additional fees.

"Let's hear the details of your request."

The dealer gestured for Nikan to sit down.

Nikan sat in the offered seat and filled out the request form.

'Asselred Dukedom, Nabiya.'

The deadline was before sunrise the next day.

"That's quite a rush."

Nikan retorted to the dealer's complaint.

"Killing an eight-year-old kid in an empty Asselred mansion won't take long."

"There are two war heroes there."

"They're just two old, worn-out mages. I can add more to the fee, so just do it properly."

The dealer bowed with a meaningful smile at Nikan's high-handed tone.

"I will do as you command. You can settle the additional fee in the next room. Do you need a receipt?"

"I won't be crazy enough to get a receipt for a human life."

It was also a veiled threat to leave no evidence.

"That's a wise decision. If the request fails, we will return half of the advance payment."

The contract was sealed.

Nikan stood up and said,

"Then I'll wait for good news."