Chapter 95

95

Everett Duke's sermons were always the same. Be meek, don't rebel, be grateful for the benefits you enjoy thanks to me, and repay the cost of raising you...

All I could do was meekly reply, "Yes, yes." After all, Duke Everett was the kind of person who could cast me out of the castle or kill me at any moment.

"You're of marriageable age now, so it's time to start looking for a suitable match. Your bride lessons will be handled by Baroness Baden. She's expected to arrive at Everett Castle next week, so be sure to take them seriously."

"...Yes, Father."

From the conversation, I could guess the point in time this dream was set. It was around the time Duke Everett decided to marry me off to Theodor.

The root of all my misfortunes was Duke Everett's greed. To him, everything was merely a tool to satisfy his desires, and I was a child raised to be a tool from the start.

"You're useless in every other way, but at least you have a pretty face, so that's something..."

At Everett Castle, I always heard that I was useless. But was I really useless?

No, thinking back, I wasn't at all. In fact, I was more useful than Hessen. Hessen's only strength was being a spirit contractor, but he couldn't control his emotions and often caused trouble.

In contrast, I was skilled in social graces and excelled in many things I learned while growing up at Everett Castle.

Still, Duke Everett always said I was lacking and useless. Owen echoed his words.

Looking back, the reason they pushed me in such a way was simple.

If I felt inadequate, they could control me more easily.

"...And you need to practice your dancing more. How else will you enchant men? Tsk tsk... Your only use is for that."

"..."

...It's amazing. Now, his words sound ridiculous. The past two years must have been longer than I thought. I'm definitely not the same as before.

'But you're still the same. Unchanged, content with the power in your hands...'

Unaware that the girl you raised as a tool has returned as a vengeful spirit.

I swallowed the sneer that threatened to escape my lips. Pretending to pick up a dish, I asked Duke Everett,

"Actually, I've been curious about something. May I ask?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"It's about my mother."

"The woman who gave birth to you? Why are you suddenly asking about her?"

Duke Everett, cutting his steak, asked indifferently. As expected... just as Somnia had told me.

Even if you enter someone else's dream, they won't be aware of it. To you, the dream space will seem as vivid as reality, but to them, it's just a blurry dream. They'll act according to their subconscious while their rational mind is deeply submerged.

In other words, they'll answer your questions honestly, as if under the influence of a truth serum.

After all, we usually can't control our dreams unless we're in a lucid dream. Duke Everett was in exactly that state.

Of course, there's a higher risk of being detected if the other person is a spirit contractor.

But judging from Duke Everett's current state, it didn't seem like his spirit, Calligo, had warned him.

'Or maybe Somnia's presence went unnoticed.'

I smiled at Duke Everett as usual and said,

"I can't help but be curious about the person who gave birth to me. Where is she, and what is she doing?"

"She's dead."

My body stiffened involuntarily.

A chill ran through me, down to my bones. Even though it was just a dream, all my senses were as vivid as reality.

My hand holding the knife trembled. I tightened my grip and asked again,

"...She's... gone?"

"Yes, it was a long time ago."

"...How did she...?"

"You're so curious about everything. She was just a woman who was no longer necessary in your life, wasn't she?"

"Just... curious..."

My heart pounded with a foreboding feeling. ...It can't be, can it? But Duke Everett... he's the kind of person who would do it.

So, really...

"On the day she left Everett Castle, I chased her down and killed her myself."

"..."

The knife in my hand slipped and fell onto the tablecloth.

"I couldn't leave her alive; she might have caused trouble. If it got out that you were my illegitimate daughter and not my adopted daughter, it would have been problematic."

"..."

"I originally planned to adopt you and then take the woman to have another illegitimate daughter who looked like you. But she refused."

"..."

"How dare a mere servant be so insolent. I tried to force her, but she ran away. Then she threatened to expose the truth about you if I didn't let her go. So I pretended to agree and followed her to end her life."

"..."

"She would have been a hindrance if I had kept her alive. I did the right thing by killing her then."

"..."

I didn't know what to say.

My mind was a blank, devoid of any thoughts.

I was swept away by a wave of shock, unable to think clearly for a while.

"Are you not eating?"

Duke Everett asked casually. I raised my gaze from my plate to look at him.

The person in front of me was not human but a demon. If I could kill and eliminate this thing, I felt I could do anything.

Anger boiled up inside me, like lava rising from the depths of the ocean.

Lily, calm down.

'...'

If you keep this up, Calligo will notice. You might want to kill him right now, but you can't. You'll end up damaging your own mind!

I understand. The rules when using Somnia's power.

But I couldn't control myself. How could I calm this fiery rage? I couldn't—

No!

The moment Somnia shouted, the dream began to fade.

My vision went dark, and I suddenly opened my eyes in reality.

Jumping up from my seat, I clenched my trembling teeth. My fists were tight, and I felt my eyes burning.

Kazef Everett killed my mother.

The person who brought me into this world.

...Did I love my mother? I think I did. No matter what, she was my 'mother.'

But did she love me? ...I don't know. It's a question I can't answer now. The person I could have asked, my mother, was killed by Duke Everett long ago.

Lily...

Somnia called me with a very apologetic voice. Wiping away the tears from my wet eyes, I glanced at the clock on the wall. ...11:52 PM. It was still my birthday.

"..."

A sound that was neither a laugh nor a cry escaped my lips.

My body, still in shock, trembled, and my mind was consumed by anger. I wanted to throw everything within reach and vent my frustration.

'So that's why I couldn't find her.'

Because she was already dead.

I had tried to find my mother about a year ago. But no matter how hard I searched, I couldn't find any trace of her.

The reason... was that Duke Everett had killed her a long time ago.

"..."

I clenched the sheet in my hand. Tears streamed down my cheeks. Whether she loved me or not, she gave birth to me and raised me, and she was the first person I ever loved in this world.

What can I do for her now?

Revenge is all that's left. There's no way to bring the dead back to life.

'...Somnia.'

Hmm!

'Can you infiltrate Kazef Everett's dream again?'

That... isn't possible now. Calligo seems to have noticed.

'...I see.'

I originally planned to uncover information about the mage and the summoning through Duke Everett's dream. But I failed because of my emotional turmoil... I need to find another way.

'...Maybe I should capture the mage directly.'

I got out of bed and sat at my desk, spreading out the documents from the safe and placing extra paper and a pen beside them.

Tick-tock, the second hand moved without stopping, pointing to the number 12. At the same time, the hour and minute hands moved. With a click, all the hands stopped in one place.

12:00 AM, midnight.

One day had passed, and another was about to begin.

* * *

My next plan was to meet the crown prince and show him the documents about the rift and the summoning.

But before that, I had something else to do.

"We've arrived."

After a long ride, the carriage stopped, and the driver knocked on the door from outside.

I nodded to my companions and stood up. But Theodor got out of the carriage before me.

He quickly jumped out and lowered the steps for me to step on. The driver's flustered face was nowhere to be seen.

"...Let me help you."

Theodor extended his hand carefully. His gaze was earnest and pleading, and once again, it was blue. The color that made me sad.

"..."

I took his hand silently and got out of the carriage. Straightening my hat and lifting my head, I saw the picturesque scenery.

The old orphanage in the small village of Salisbury, within the Everett family's territory.

In this facility, which clearly wasn't in good condition, was the child I needed to rescue.