As soon as Ren arrived home, he greeted Vivian with his usual smile.

She wanted to respond with a smile as well, but couldn’t bring herself to do so. Because she had caused trouble.

Vivian sighed with an expression that was difficult to tell whether it was sad or enlightened.

“…You know, I think I’ve ruined everything.”

Ren quietly met her eyes, her face looking gloomy.

Is she referring to how she acted suspiciously in front of Princess Veronica?

Vivian didn’t know, but Ren had overheard her entire conversation with the princess through the shadow he had placed on her.

So he had already noticed what she was talking about, but he deliberately pretended not to know and replied.

“Did something happen?”

“Yes, something did. A really big problem. But don’t worry too much. Even if I’m caught and revealed as the kidnapper, I’ll never mention your name. You should live a new life…”

Ren smiled softly, finding her somewhat cute as she pretended to cry while covering her eyes with her hands.

Vivian being caught? It was something with absolutely no possibility of happening.

Because he would never allow it.

Still, Ren went along with the conversation appropriately.

“How could I live a new life without you, Lady Vivian?”

“Are you worried you won’t be able to find a job? Don’t think like that. Ren, you’re capable, so anyone would be happy to employ you.”

A slight hint of disappointment flickered in his leaf-colored eyes. Ren gently shook his head.

“That’s not it… Anyway, don’t get caught. If you do, I’ll follow you in.”

To be precise, he planned to demolish the imperial palace and prison, take Vivian out, and then leave this empire, but Ren didn’t bother to mention this.

“Ugh… Alright. I’ll try my best for now.”

Heaving a heavy sigh, Vivian looked particularly tired today. Perhaps because she hadn’t slept properly the night before, the area under her eyes was especially dark.

Yawn. Small teardrops formed in the corners of her eyes along with the yawn.

“This won’t do. I’m going to bed early today. Ren, you should go rest at the hideout too. I’ll sleep with the communication device in my ear, so let me know if another handsome man appears.”

“Come to think of it, there don’t seem to be many handsome men on the streets lately.”

“Yeah, that’s true. Did I kidnap them all and deplete the stock?”

Ren chuckled lightly. He found it amusing how she talked about handsome men as if they were some kind of wild animals.

“Whatever the case, I’ll let you know right away, so please get some good rest now.”

Nodding her head, Vivian immediately went to her room.

Barely managing to drag her body, she lay down on the bed and closed her eyes to sleep. However, unfortunately, things didn’t go as she wished.

‘I’m ruined… I’m tired but can’t fall asleep.’

She tried to sleep somehow by burying her face in the pillow, but it wasn’t easy. The reason was obvious.

‘With the situation in this state, it would be a miracle if I could sleep…’

She had become thoroughly suspicious to Princess Veronica.

To the extent that it wouldn’t be strange if she was tailed starting from tomorrow.

Fortunately, thanks to the retainer who brought news about the demon beasts, she was able to avoid the situation for now, but…

‘That in itself is honestly troubling. The appearance of demon beasts in the capital means they could easily appear in front of our house too.’

At that moment, Vivian’s childhood trauma about demon beasts surfaced in her mind.

The memory that remained vivid even after time passed would occasionally come to haunt her.

Just like at this moment.

As she closed her eyes, the scenes she had witnessed that day swept by like a panorama, overwhelming her.

Vivian sank into the memories of those painful times.

This happened when I was 10 years old, so it’s a story from over 10 years ago.

Our family, including Marquis Schmidt, went on vacation to a villa together.

The Marquis and his wife, Leonie, and me.

The vacation planned for the four of us was full of joyful plans, but they were all canceled due to the Marquis suddenly having work.

Still, there wasn’t much to be disappointed about.

It was enough to spend a happy time with just Leonie and me.

We decided to enjoy various games behind the villa.

Until then, it was possible because I had a good relationship with my younger sister.

While we were resting for a moment, tired from an intense ball game, suddenly a crying sound was heard.

Waaah, waaah.

The owner of the sorrowful voice was none other than Leonie.

Worried about my sister who was suddenly crying when she had been playing well just a moment ago, I hurriedly began to comfort her.

“What’s wrong? Hm? Don’t cry. What happened?”

As I gently patted my sister’s back, the child opened her mouth, sobbing.

“Waaah, elder sister! The ball… My ball went over into the forest, waaah.”

The direction Leonie pointed to was towards the forest.

Being away from the city, there was a vast forest spread out behind the villa.

It was a forest densely packed with trees with strange leaves that were a mix of black and green.

The unique color of the leaves, rarely seen normally, somehow reminded me of poisonous plants and was somewhat creepy.

To lose the ball in such a place of all places.

Thinking it might be dangerous to go in, I first tried to comfort Leonie.

“We can buy a new ball. Don’t cry, I’ll talk to Mom and Dad about it.”

I didn’t know then. That Leonie’s expression slightly wrinkled when she saw me naturally saying Mom and Dad.

“No. It has to be that ball. Mom bought it for me as a birthday present last year…”

“Then I’ll call an adult. Just wait a moment.”

“No!”

Leonie, who had been whimpering, grabbed my wrist to stop me from leaving.

“If they find out I’m making a fuss because of the ball, the adults will scold me. Do you want me to get scolded, elder sister?”

Seeing Leonie’s pitiful expression, I sighed. It seemed my young sister had something she wanted from me.

“Alright then. I’ll go find it. But you stay here.”

“Mm, thank you, elder sister.”

So I set out to find the ball, crossing over the wall.

Even though it was daytime, little sunlight entered the forest due to the densely packed trees.

The sight was eerie and I wanted to turn back, but I had to force my legs to move.

Because if I turned around, there was Leonie looking at me with desperate eyes.

‘It probably didn’t go in too deep. Let’s find it quickly and get out.’

Yes, if it could just stop my sister from crying, it would be fine to step in for a moment and come out.

As I forcibly entered between the narrow trees, fortunately, I soon found the ball. The familiar golden ball was clearly Leonie’s.

‘Found it!’

I tried to quickly grab the ball and come out with a joyful heart. But…

Grrr.

A low and strange growl so chilling it made my legs weak was heard, and my legs suddenly stopped moving.

Slowly turning my head, what came into view was a monster that looked like a beast.

It had black manes on its back like a hyena, and its eyes were white without pupils.

Because of the eyes without focus, it was impossible to know what it was looking at, but one thing was certain.

That this monster was looking at me now.

‘I’m going to die. That monster is going to kill me.’

Seeing it emanating killing intent as if it wanted to devour me right away, young me just shed tears.

I thought tears only came out when you were sad, but I learned then that they also come out when you’re scared to death.

Trying somehow to survive, I picked up a branch nearby and aimed it at the demon beast.

My arm, thin like a metal skewer, trembled like it was vibrating.

I actually knew that I couldn’t defeat that monster with this branch.

Nevertheless, I gripped the branch tightly once again and stared at the monster.

‘Oh, it’s coming!’

I tried to avoid the monster rushing at me as if throwing its body, but it was already too late.

In that critical situation where I thought I was going to die, when I came to my senses, I was in the arms of some man.

“It’s cruel for humans to see. Close your eyes.”

Hearing the gentle and low voice, I closed my eyes while still gripping the branch and ball in my hands.

And not even a few seconds later, there was a sound of a heavy body falling to the ground.

When I carefully opened my eyes, the demon beast was already dead. This man had saved me.

“Human, are you alright?”

There was no time to think his way of speaking was strange. The relief of being alive dominated me.

“I’m fine, mister magician. Thank you for saving me.”

I quickly wiped the tears from my eyes with my sleeve and smiled at the man.

“Do I look like a magician to you?”

“They said people who use really strong magic are called magicians. Aren’t you a magician, mister? You defeated such a big monster in one go! Just one time! Of course you’re a magician.”

Hearing my words, the man laughed holding his stomach, finding something funny.

I still don’t know why, then or now.

“Little human, do you want to come with me? Seeing you wandering alone in a place like this, you don’t have a guardian, right? I’ll take good care of you, let’s go together.”

His mysterious sky-blue eyes examined my expression with a gentle gaze.

His touch as he patted my head somehow made me feel at ease, but I refused.

“I can’t, my younger sister will be waiting for me.”

I hugged Leonie’s ball tightly to my chest. If I bring this back, she’ll stop crying.

I also had to make sure to warn Leonie never to wander in the forest again.

I was lucky to end up like this, but next time it could be really dangerous.

The fear of death was more fatal than I thought.

Although I pretended to be fine because there was a strong adult nearby, my legs were still trembling, unable to escape from the terror.

‘I can’t let Leonie experience something like this too. Let’s hurry back and tell her it’s dangerous.’

I couldn’t return alone at all, but fortunately, with the magician’s help, I was able to safely return home.

However, what greeted me when I barely managed to return after facing death was the angry faces of the Marquis and his wife, which I had never seen before.

I only found out later, but that morning, the villa’s servants had warned never to enter the forest.

There was a special barrier cast on the mansion’s walls so it was safe inside, but once you went beyond the barrier, you never knew what kind of demon beast you might encounter.

‘It must have been a mistake, right? Leonie wouldn’t have sent me out knowing that fact.’

Until then, my stepsister and I were ordinary sisters with a good relationship.

So I believed that my sister wouldn’t suddenly and intentionally put me in such danger.

This belief of mine was shattered in an instant, however.

“Vivian. Is it true that you threw the ball into the forest behind and told Leonie to go find it?”

“What? Mother, that’s not true. It’s not like that…”

“Don’t lie! You knew very well that demon beasts appear in the forest, yet you tried to send Leonie there!”

“It’s not true. I’m telling you it’s not, Mother!”

“Don’t call me Mother! It’s not your fault that you’re an illegitimate child so we kept you, but now you try to harm my daughter?”

Faced with the attitude of the Marchioness who wouldn’t listen, I looked at my father.

Dad would believe me. At least I was his biological daughter.

“Dad, it’s not true. I…”

“Shut up! Is this how you treat Leonie who treats you like a real elder sister, by doing such a thing?”

At that moment, my eyes met with Leonie’s, who was crying in the Marquis’s arms.

Seeing the child’s pure and wicked smile, I couldn’t say anything more.

From that day on, I was thoroughly ostracized by my family.