Hickenka pulled a small glass bottle from her bosom and trapped the round light.

Pythons’ thoughtform raged as if in temper, but it couldn’t affect the glass bottle.

“Give it back!”

Pythons had to be saved. Leticia tried to break the lock to get into the prison, but nothing happened.

She couldn’t use Pythons’ power.

“Why….”

Hickenka shook the glass bottle at the bewildered Leticia.

“You can’t use the power? Even though it looks like an ordinary glass bottle, it’s a material that blocks interference with your world. Separate from your contract with Pythons being valid, you can’t use Pythons’ ability.”

“…What do you want?”

Leticia glared at Hickenka. Pleased by her expression, Hickenka smiled and said to her.

“Letium. Let’s make a deal.”

“…A deal?”

“If Pythons stays in the glass bottle for too long, he’ll lose his strength and fall asleep, even if he’s not broken into pieces. For hundreds of years. You want to save your precious star, don’t you?”

At these words, Leticia’s eyes wavered as she looked at the glass bottle holding Pythons’ thoughtform.

“Grant my two requests, and I’ll return Pythons to his original state. And I won’t come back to Roadwick House while you’re growing. How about it?”

“…How can I trust you?”

Leticia questioned Hickenka with caution. Her mind was complicated, seeking a way to save Pythons.

Since Pythons said Hickenka’s body is still asleep, she can’t possess Philip’s body for long.

‘I have to wait for the possession to be lifted.’

She could ask Blake or others to open the prison door. Then, get the glass bottle containing Pythons’ thoughtform and the squirrel’s body.

‘Then I can save Pythons.’

But Leticia was so surprised by Hickenka’s subsequent actions that she couldn’t think at all.

The glass bottle, no bigger than two finger joints, went into Hickenka’s mouth. Precisely into Philip’s mouth.

Gulp.

Hickenka, who had swallowed Pythons’ thoughtform, smiled at the desperate Leticia and asked,

“Now what will you do? Letium.”

(This is a time separator.)

“Yawn[Dash].”

The guard, who was keeping watch in front of Roadwick Prison, yawned discreetly to chase away the creeping sleep.

It’s a prison that even if just locked up, no one can escape. He had to keep watch and stand guard for only one prisoner.

But that prisoner was pointed out as a strange assailant who attacked Miss Leticia.

“Was it really something Philip did……?”

Still, it was strange. He was a guy who received his name from the Duke.

He came in at 12, served as an apprentice knight for 5 years, and was finally pleased to be knighted.

Considering the usual Philip, it was something that could never happen. Most people around him also found it hard to believe.

But the person involved hadn’t woken up yet, and there were witnesses, so he couldn’t deny it either.

The guard looked at the tower where Philip was confined with a dull eye.

“Huh……?”

Then he looked at the entrance of the tower next to him, and his heart sank.
The padlock that should have been firmly locked on the iron bars was rolling on the floor, having been broken into two parts.

“Why, why is this happening.”

Cold sweat flowed. Someone had broken the lock and invaded.

But he hadn’t seen anyone. He hadn’t left his post once. He yawned a few times, but he never dozed off.

“Ph, Philip!”

The sentry hastily opened the door and ran up the tower stairs.

On the third floor, having run all the way to Philip’s dungeon, he checked inside and his legs gave out, making him slump down on the spot.

Philip was soundly asleep on the bed.

“……I almost lost my neck.”

The knight rubbed his face, feeling as if he had aged ten years. Meanwhile, a small figure slipped out of the tower.

It was Liche.

She restored the broken lock into a star piece and walked down the street, sobbing, holding the limp body of Pythons.

“Liche?”

Then a surprised voice called out to Liche.

It was Blake.

“Daddy.”

“Why are you walking alone? Why are you crying?”

Blake knelt down on one knee in front of Liche. He took a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the tears from his daughter’s tearstreaked cheeks.

“…….”

At his touch, Liche’s sobbing grew louder. In her tearfilled eyes, she saw Blake’s wart.

She had gradually increased the amount of purification she did without getting caught by Blake. Recently, she had been able to purify about two days’ worth of warts, and the accumulated amount was decreasing. Because of that, Blake’s complexion was getting healthier.

But now, without Pythons.

Could she purify Blake’s wart on her own?

“It would have killed you. Since the power of the Retiom emanates from the heart. The cursed energy of my curse that entered your body would have exploded your heart.”

In his past life, Duke Gerwer had waited until he was 9 years old.

This life would not be much different.

To purify Blake alone, she needed at least two years. That way, the heart wouldn’t explode. But Blake’s life…….

Hikencaka’s request could only be fulfilled three years later.

In two years, either Blake or she would have to die.

‘If I had known this would happen…….’

If she had known, she wouldn’t have dreamed of freedom.

She would have just revealed that she was a Retiom and purified everything.

Then, even if she were caught by Duke Gerwer, she could have at least saved her father.

Or she should have purified Blake’s wart when they first met in the market, when she was nothing to Blake.

Then there would have been no need for her father to grieve over her death.

“Daddy, I’m sorry, sob, I’m so sorry…….”

Her heart felt like it was tearing. Liche couldn’t hold back her emotions and burst into tears.

Blake, surprised at his daughter’s tears for the first time, helplessly held Liche in his arms and waited for her sobbing to stop.