RSHTV 02

Chapter 2

“Impatient, aren’t you?”

Deminic’s words were chilling despite his indifferent tone, and they could have easily sent shivers down Belona’s spine. Instead, they made her feel a little gloomy. If dying really were that easy, she wouldn’t be standing here in the first place.

“That isn’t important. I know that you’re a member of the imperial family.”

The moment she bluntly revealed the truth, Deminic’s eyes widened and his expression froze with a rare look of innocence. Watching him like that, Belona thought that helping him might actually be more entertaining than she’d expected.

“…What’s your proof?”

The brief flicker of agitation disappeared, leaving behind only an impassive expression.

Belona fell into thought, wondering exactly how much she should tell Deminic. She fiddled with the necklace in her hand as she considered her options.

Since this had been a rather impulsive decision, she hadn’t actually made any concrete plans. The drastic option of revealing that she was a regressor briefly came to mind.

Yes. Perhaps twisting the truth just a little wouldn’t be so bad.

“I’ve seen the future.”

She tilted her head and whispered the words as though she were telling him something extremely important.

Deminic looked utterly incredulous.

“Are you saying you can make prophecies? I suppose I should hurry and announce that a saintess has appeared.”

“I’m not the saintess.”

The response slipped smoothly from Belona’s lips before he could finish.

Saintess, messenger of God, God’s representative, the chosen one.

Belona was never supposed to become the person behind those countless titles.

That role belonged to her closest friend, Davien.

“What does that even—”

“Anyway, that’s not important right now. What matters is that you’ve come here intending to burn down the entire temple. And I’ve come to stop you.”

Belona raised a hand to stop Deminic from interrupting and continued.

“Deminic, you have a ring with a brilliantly blue sapphire on it. It’s a keepsake from your mother.”

The moment she mentioned his mother, Belona saw Deminic’s shoulders tense.

“The ring engraved on the inside with the words, ‘For Maribel, whom I respect and love above all.’”

Deminic’s gaze began to waver noticeably as Belona listed details that no one could know unless they had actually seen the ring.

“Maribel, the owner of that sapphire ring, was the first Empress of the Empire, Deminic. The most recent owner of that ring was your biological mother, Princess Olivia, Duchess of Roxelln.”

Deminic frowned and glared at her.

“You’re talking nonsense. My mother was a commoner.”

Belona merely shrugged.

Even though he said that, she could already tell that Deminic was listening carefully to everything she said.

She had given him a direction for his investigation. It would only be a matter of time before he discovered for himself that her words were true.

“Take that ring to the Emperor. Then reclaim your rightful position as the sole heir of House Roxelln.”

“If I’m the Emperor’s nephew, then why have I been—”

Despite the astonishing revelation, there was no joy in Deminic’s eyes. Instead, layers of anger began to build.

It was understandable.

It was fairly well known that the Emperor had cherished his younger sister, the princess. From the question of why, then, had he not tried harder to find Deminic?, that anger would eventually grow into hatred toward the Emperor.

His anger would lead him to wonder whether the Emperor himself had deliberately looked the other way despite knowing that the Empress was making a move, because he too had felt threatened by his sister.

“And your true enemy isn’t some High Priest. It’s the faction supporting the Crown Prince, including the Empress who orchestrated the assassination of the Duke and Duchess and tried to kill you as well.”

Belona decided to redirect Deminic’s anger and make it more focused.

At least his anger toward the Empress was justified.

So she intended to make use of it.

“…The Empress?”

“Yes. The Empress. The current Empress, who was most wary of Princess Olivia and most anxious about the existence of the child she would give birth to.”

Back when Deminic was still living at the temple, the High Priest had immediately recognized the ring after examining it closely.

He had reported to the Empress that Deminic was the missing heir of House Roxelln and a member of the imperial family with a claim to the throne.

To the very Empress who, during Deminic’s childhood, had murdered the Duke and Duchess in order to eliminate anything that could threaten her own son—the Crown Prince.

The High Priest had been acting under the Empress’s orders to dispose of Deminic. Although his attempt had failed because Deminic escaped, once Deminic disappeared, the High Priest simply reported that he had died.

Remembering the complicated circumstances of the past gave Belona a headache, and suddenly she felt exhausted by the whole matter.

She sighed and decided to get to the real point.

“More importantly, stop using black magic. That’s a shortcut straight to the grave.”

Belona tossed the necklace she had been holding.

The necklace flew through the air and, the moment it landed in Deminic’s outstretched hand, it lost its transparency and turned a murky gray.

“What is this…?”

“Black magic may give you tremendous power right now, but eventually it’ll drive you insane. There is no such thing as power without a price.”

Belona cut off Deminic’s words and continued.

“So don’t let your desire for revenge blind you and use black magic recklessly. Use this to check your condition while you’re using it.”

Among all the holy relics here, this was the only one that could actually help him.

Deminic and holy relics were natural opposites, so he probably hadn’t even considered approaching them.

But that necklace was merely a tool that showed how corrupted a nearby soul had become under the influence of evil power.

Unexpectedly, Deminic said nothing.

He quietly stared down at the necklace before slowly raising his head and looking at Belona.

The corner of his mouth curved upward crookedly.

Yet, strangely enough, Belona thought she could see a faint spark of hope within his suspicious gaze.

“What if I don’t care what happens to me? What if I just want to kill all those nobles and be done with it?”

Even then, his words toward Belona remained extremely defiant.

“That power will eventually devour even you. All that will remain is a madman who mercilessly slaughters people because of black magic’s endless thirst for blood.”

“I have complete control over my power.”

As Deminic clenched and unclenched his fist while staring down at the gray necklace, there was still a faint trace of doubt in his expression.

“Of course you want to believe that yourself.”

Belona let out a hollow laugh.

Deminic was an extremely arrogant man who believed there was something special about himself. That arrogance was sometimes what led him to defeat.

“You’re a very proud person, aren’t you? Are you really certain? That you’re controlling the black magic perfectly, rather than being controlled by it?”

Deminic examined the necklace she had given him from several different angles, apparently judging something for himself.

Then he tightly wrapped the necklace around one hand and raised his head with a determined expression.

“Fine. For now, I’ll refrain from killing you.”

“Gee, thanks.”

The fact that Deminic hadn’t killed her immediately already meant that things had gone fairly well today.

Belona sighed and lightly patted his chest in encouragement as she walked past him.

It was about time she returned to the count’s estate.

“First, properly obtain the title of Duke Roxelln. And if you have questions or need help along the way, contact me. I’ll help as much as I can with what I know.”

Just then, a hand loosely caught her arm as she tried to pass Deminic.

The body heat brushing against her wrist was surprisingly cold.

Because of the countless memories of her past lives in which she had been enemies with him, Belona instinctively flinched.

She looked up—and was startled once again when she saw Deminic’s face much closer than she’d expected.

She briefly held her breath.

When she finally exhaled, they were close enough for their breaths to mingle.

“You’re just going to tell me all of this one-sidedly and leave?”

“Then what else do you want me to tell you?”

“Your name. What’s your name?”

Belona hadn’t realized that, because she knew Deminic far too well, she had never actually introduced herself to him.

She looked down at the hand still lightly holding her wrist and casually answered.

“Oh, my name is Belona Rosentin. I’m from House Rosentin, a count’s family. I forgot to tell you.”

“So a young lady from an ordinary count’s family possesses the ability to prophesy? How is that possible? You don’t seem to use black magic either.”

His long fingers had been lightly placed against the inside of her wrist, as though he were checking her pulse.

Apparently, he had been trying to determine whether she was the same kind of being as him.

Those who had offered their souls to black magic no longer had beating hearts.

“I never said I could prophesy. I said I could see the future.”

Belona answered ambiguously with a teasing smile directed at Deminic.

Deminic was wearing the cold mask that Belona knew all too well.

That distinctive, impenetrable mask made it impossible to predict what move he would make next.

“I think I’ve gotten all the information I need from you, so I feel like taking care of you right here.”

“You just said you wouldn’t kill me.”

“I’m naturally a rather fickle person.”

She had told him only moments ago to restrain his use of black magic, yet she could already see his fingertips turning black.

“What is your purpose? Nothing you’ve told me so far is what you actually want, Belona. Everyone has a purpose.”

Hearing her own name slip so effortlessly from his lips felt strangely unfamiliar.

His deep crimson eyes, fixed upon Belona, contained a peculiar desire.

They were far too close.

Even so, Belona stubbornly continued.

“Cooperate with me, Deminic. In return, I’ll cooperate with you.”

Feeling uncomfortable, Belona lightly pushed against his chest.

But Deminic didn’t budge.

His breath against her forehead merely tickled.

“Why?”