Chapter 51

The stench and the smell of alcohol, along with the strange odor of chemicals, filled the air, but the robed figure moved forward without hesitation.

A dilapidated house appeared.

Upon entering, a man with a scar under one eye greeted him.

It was Multa, the illegal drug manufacturer.

Multa sighed as he lowered his raised dagger.

"…You scared me. I thought it was someone else, but it's you, Livia. Please knock before you come in."

At his words, she took off her robe, revealing her chestnut hair tinged with red.

"I need something much stronger than before."

"Can't you even say hello first?"

Multa laughed in disbelief.

"Wait, Livia. I have to make it for the earlier customer first. Cutting in line is against the rules."

"I need it right now!"

Oblie's hysterical voice echoed through the shabby room.

Multa looked at her with a strange expression.

'It's been a while since I've seen her this agitated.'

"Did you develop a tolerance?"

Struck by his accurate guess, Oblie shut her mouth tightly.

"That's why I told you to cut back. If you develop a tolerance, it'll be too late to turn back."

"Just make a stronger one! This isn't the first time, right?!"

"Do you think it's that easy to make? That's why I gave you so much."

Multa asked in a voice filled with annoyance.

But there was no answer.

Multa's expression hardened.

"Did you drink all of it?"

He genuinely clicked his tongue.

I knew she had loved Schuetz for a very long time, but…

However, Oblie, or Livia, was defiant.

Then and now.

She could do anything to be by Schuetz's side.

* * *

The Porger family had been a lineage of black magic users for generations.

However, the empire was a land blessed by the sun and the world tree.

It was impossible for the black magic-using Porger family to gain a foothold.

Thinking that if they couldn't stand on their own, they might as well become shadows, the Porger family became the emperor's dogs.

They took on all the dirty work the emperor couldn't do publicly. It was a life in the shadows.

Livia, as the only daughter of the Porger family, knew how to use powerful black magic.

But no one would treat someone who had lived as a dog for a long time as an equal.

Livia was always alone.

One day, while secretly playing with a teddy bear, young Livia overheard a conversation.

"He's cursed and suffers from madness."

"He can't stop killing people."

"But he's really handsome."

'There are people like that in the world.'

Somehow, he seemed a bit like me.

'…And they said he was very handsome.'

What kind of person is he?

That was when young Livia's interest in Erhardt, whom she had never seen, began to grow.

"Listen carefully, Livia."

One day, Porger Count sat Livia down and said,

"Capture Erhardt Schuetz."

"Me?"

"Yes, who else? It's your destiny as a woman. If you become the Duchess of Schuetz, we can take over the empire."

"But…"

"Isn't it time to stop this tiresome dog's life?"

Livia had never disobeyed her father.

"I understand, Father. I will definitely do it."

She said that, but she had no idea how.

Due to the madness inherited through his blood, the previous Duke of Schuetz had no contact with anyone.

'I can go see him myself.'

After making up her mind, Livia immediately summoned the darkness and moved to the Schuetz territory.

The north, covered in snow, was extremely cold. After wandering for a long time, Livia accidentally encountered a monster.

A monster with fangs so long they couldn't even be described.

As she hurriedly tried to summon the darkness, the monster suddenly let out a loud cry and fell to the ground.

Livia was startled and looked up.

A figure taller than her by a head, with black hair tinged with red and eyes as red as blood.

A family that inherited the blood of a demon, who suppressed their madness by killing anything.

'Erhardt Schuetz.'

Livia looked up at him with trembling eyes.

The young Erhardt didn't even blink despite the blood on his face.

"There are many monsters here."

His young, delicate voice was as sharp as a blade.

"Be careful. If you don't want to die."

Erhardt coldly said to Livia and then disappeared.

Livia covered her mouth with her trembling hand.

'…He was worried about me.'

And he saved me!

Livia's intense love began from that moment.

She wanted to be his lover.

But Erhardt loved no one.

A kind of resolve to end the madness with his generation.

Then Yuria appeared.

Yuria took everything. The position of Duchess and Erhardt's love.

Livia couldn't forgive her.

Fortunately, she died on her own before Livia could do anything.

Livia had another chance.

But she couldn't just approach Erhardt.

So she changed her plan.

'The son of the Duke of Claid.'

Erhardt, now a Duke, was searching for his friend's son.

If I find him first. If I marry him.

'I can stay by his side longer!'

Driven half-mad by the love she had never received, Livia used all her black magic to make herself look younger.

Then she went to a back alley and found an illegal drug manufacturer, throwing money at him.

"Make the drug, and I'll give you this."

A drug to change eye color.

A drug to change hair color.

After taking all kinds of drugs, she was reborn as the lovely and innocent 'Oblie'.

After that, she went to her father, the Count of Porger, and said,

"Livia, what is this?"

"Father, please send me to the temple."

"What?"

"I'll go to the temple and find the missing son of Claid. If I claim to be spreading the will of the gods, I can travel freely throughout the empire."

Porger read the madness in his daughter's eyes. His lips curled up in a sinister smile.

"Indeed, you are my daughter."

* * *

"I have never regretted my choice for a moment."

Not even once.

If she could stay by Erhardt's side, she could do anything.

"If I had regretted it, I wouldn't have started."

Livia's eyes, looking at Multa, were filled with madness.

"I've seen many crazy people, but you might be the craziest."

He rubbed his arm, which was covered in goosebumps.

"Shut up and make the drug."

"Your attitude is still as rough as ever."

"Do you want to die?"

"I want to give it to you quickly, but it takes time to make."

Multa nodded.

Behind the curtain, a terrible stench was seeping out.

Livia frowned.

Most people are born with mana.

But very few can open their mana.

However, when that mana is mixed, it can be reborn as a very powerful drug.

Livia's father was also one of Multa's customers.

Multa rubbed his face, looking exhausted.

"Try to understand. I'm really busy these days."

Livia looked at Multa's face intently and asked,

"Then I'll do it myself."

"…What?"

Multa froze, staring at Livia.

Before he could ask anything, Livia walked confidently to the back.

Inside, it was filled with horrific scenes.

The pungent smell of blood and various chemicals mixed to create a terrible stench.

But Livia didn't blink. As she looked around with a numb expression,

Click.

Something grabbed her ankle.

"Please… please save me."

A man clung to her, his face desperate.

"Please, please save me…"

His eyes were a vivid green, even in the dim lighting.

A color I don't have.

Livia smiled softly.

It was the angelic smile that all priests praised.

"Sure."

In this hell, I will save you.

She gently kissed his forehead.

"May the blessings of the sun and the world tree be with you."

The praise of the gods that she bestowed upon everyone.

She smiled brightly and beautifully.

* * *

Snap!

A sharp sound echoed through the winter air.

I exhaled a trembling breath and lowered my bow.

The arrow was precisely in the center of the target.

"Excellent, Lady Ellie!"

"Amazing!"

Praises and applause poured in.

From the three maids who had finished all their work early to watch my training.

…For some reason, Sir Rainer was with them.