Chapter 4: My Life as a Captive Continues

My Next Life as a Villainess All Routes Lead to Doom! — LNCrawler · All chapters

Just when I had finally found out the motive behind my kidnapping and made friends with Selena... that butler appeared. The young man by the name of Rufus, a butler who was always be Selena’s side.

He had appeared out of nowhere and declared some disturbing things. He claimed that Selena would be used as a scapegoat for the kidnapping plot, that she would disappear with Prince Ian, and that I would disappear with Jeord as well.

I was stunned, and for a while I just stood there, dumbstruck. Before I realized it, he had already left the room with the unconscious Selena in his arms. By the time I got a hold of myself and decided to chase after him, the door to my room was locked again, and I was left alone.

It was now late into the night. But of course, even I couldn’t rest my mind in a situation like this. I couldn’t stop thinking about what Rufus had said.

And Serena had collapsed and fallen to the ground... “Just letting her sleep for a while,” he’d said. But the way she had fallen asleep was nothing like how I’d been made to pass out at the school festival. He hadn’t knocked her unconscious or anything like that. There was nothing — Selena simply collapsed quietly, just like that.

Rufus claimed that it was his doing, yet I didn’t see him use any kind of drug or brute force. He just placed a hand on her shoulder. The power to put someone to sleep just by touching them... I only knew of one thing that matched that description.

It was a power I had learned about last year, when I was involved in that incident: the Dark Arts, magic that was only usable by Wielders of Darkness. The forbidden magic that was capable of manipulating the hearts and minds of others.

As soon as I asked Selena about the reason behind my kidnapping, that man would always interrupt us. She would then immediately fall silent, and her expression would go blank like a doll’s.

I had a hunch. If my assumptions were correct, then that man, Rufus, was a Wielder of Darkness.

Actually, Dark Magic could technically be obtained by anyone as long as they were born with the ability to use magic. However, a ritual and a sacrifice were required, and said sacrifice was... the life of another human being.

Dark Magic was capable of controlling the emotions of others, but also of taking their lives. It was taboo, and its very existence was hidden from the general public.

If Rufus really was a Wielder of Darkness, then he must have gained his abilities through the ritual sacrifice. That meant that he was entirely capable of murder.

Of course, it could have been forced upon him, like how it had been with Raphael. But... the way he looked at the fallen Selena with those cold eyes, and the way he smiled, as if he were enjoying himself...

Thinking about it made shivers run down my spine.

I’d thought that I would be completely unable to sleep, but I ended up falling asleep and slumbering through the night.

Come to think of it, I had slept equally well on the night before the Graduation Ceremony, which is when all the Catastrophic Bad Ends could have occurred. So really, I guess I was able to sleep well at any given time or situation. I surprised even myself with my sleeping skills, especially after I’d been directly threatened by my kidnapper. He had said that I would “disappear.”

And of course, the one who woke me from my deep sleep was none other than...

“I can’t believe this... after everything that happened, you’re just sleeping here? Does this kid have nerves of steel or something?!” It was an exasperated voice from someone near me. It sounded very frustrated.

“Hnnh?” I was having such a good rest, too! What’s with all the ruckus? I thought. As I slowly opened my eyes, a familiar man came into view. I saw him last night, I think. His name was... “Rufus...?”

“I am honored that you would remember the name of one such as myself, Lady Katarina. I do think, however, that it would be a most prudent time to rise. It is already past noon.”

For some reason, he sounded very different than when I was still half asleep. But my ears did not betray me — it was the same voice. Then... I suppose he’s the one who woke me up. More importantly, though...

“Eh?! Already past noon!”

“...You react to that of all things, huh,” Rufus said, once again sounding exasperated.

But... I only slept for a short while! Or at least, that’s what I meant to do... In fact, I’d decided to stay up after Rufus had left and come up with a plan through the night! I was thinking that I could climb down the window in the darkness and escape. And yet here I was, sleeping past noon! And to make things worse, the antagonist of this entire situation had just woken me up!

“I do surprise myself sometimes, yes...” I admitted.

“...Well, I would be the surprised party, you see. I had not heard a thing from your room after all this time, and had assumed that you were simply hugging your knees and softly sobbing in a corner. To think that you would be sprawled out, spread-eagled, snoring on your bed...”

I could feel the sheer disbelief in his voice. I see. So I was sleeping like that? That’s so embarrassing... But now wasn’t the time to be concerned about that! There were many things I had to figure out.

“There’s a lot I want to ask you, but most importantly... is Selena all right?” Selena had suddenly collapsed, and was taken away. Was she safe? I stared straight at Rufus combatively, demanding an answer.

“...The rumors don’t do you justice, do they? Very well, I shall answer your question. Lady Selena is fine; she is safely sleeping in her room.”

“...Is that so.” I had been staring at him all this time, but I couldn’t tell if he was lying. I supposed I’d believe him for now.

But like... more rumors? Really? Are they about my being spirited? Sassy? Like Selena was talking about?

And there was another point that I needed to confirm. “Rufus... are you a Wielder of Darkness?”

His eyes opened slightly at my question, but only one corner of his lip curled up in response. “... My, aren’t you blunt with your questions.”

Well yes. Blunt, even for me, but I was never good at extracting information from people with all sorts of fancy leading conversations. “I couldn’t think of any roundabout ways to ask, you see.”

“What a strange person you are, indeed! Since you know of the existence of Dark Magic... well then. I suppose you, too, were involved in last year’s incident.”

“!” I was shocked. Although news of the wrongdoing by a certain heir of a Marquess family had spread through noble circles, the fact that Dark Magic was involved should have been kept a secret.

Rufus continued on, as if reading my thoughts. “Surprised? Since that was supposed to be all hushed up... ah. But you see, it is impossible to cover everything up. After all, many nobles with close ties to the Dieke family are quite shady individuals themselves.”

Rufus allowed a crooked smile to creep into his face as he made his declarations. “So you see... he, too, became interested in Dark Magic.”

“...Him who?”

“Ah. That would be my master. I became a Wielder of Darkness under his orders, before making my way into the family of Duke Berg...”

“Wh-Why though?” I asked, still trying to aggressively extract information from the somewhat changed Rufus.

“Didn’t I already mention it just now? So that Lady Selena could become the scapegoat for all these kidnappings and other assorted sins. So that she would disappear with Prince Ian, vanishing from the struggle for the throne, and eventually noble society altogether. The same goes for you and Prince Jeord, too.”

“Why would you do such a thing...?”

“Why? Of course it’s because you’re in the way, that’s why. I am working on behalf of the first crown prince, you see. Prince Jeffery desires the throne... and he is the kind of individual that would not hesitate to resort to various means to achieve his goals.”

“!” So Prince Jeffery wanted the throne... Ian and Jeord were simply in his way? What about Alan, then? It was a serious conversation, and there were so many things I needed to think about. But from the corner of my mind, a soft complaint from Alan: “Why am I the only one not included, huh?!”

“Ah, it’s okay, Alan. You’re still growing,” I thought, mentally comforting the discontent Alan in my mind.

Rufus, however, seemed to interpret my silence differently. “Surely even you are terrified now? Well then, I suppose that’s all we need to talk about, now. I’ve left a light meal here — do help yourself.” With that, Rufus left, but not before saying, “Well then, ring this bell if there is anything you need.” With that, I was alone in the room once more.

I had slept a lot and wasn’t tired anymore, so I supposed I should have that meal, for what it was worth. It was definitely on the light side, only consisting of a few types of small buns. Honestly, this is nothing more than a snack for me!

Still feeling somewhat let down by the small portion size, I grabbed a small, round bun off the tray and sank my teeth into it.

Wh-What? This... This is incredibly delicious! I’d sampled quite a few delicious buns and snacks at the festival stands not long ago, but the taste of this small bun was wonderful — you couldn’t even compare them. Its exterior was soft and tender, but its inner texture was chewy and delightful. I could become addicted to these buns!

And what is that, in the corner of the plate...? This cream-like substance... is it meant to go with the buns? I held the ridiculously delicious bun in my hand and dipped it in the cream.

Ooooh! This... This is truly amazing! Something else indeed! While seeming like nothing more than custard cream at first glance, the reality is quite different! This terribly sweet, yet refreshing, otherworldly taste! An incredible match for this bun.

All right. Next up is this flatbread-like bun here...

Ah, this one was delicious, too. Just who was the person that made all these delicious morsels? I simply had to ask at the next chance I got.

And so, I finished the delicious bread in a matter of minutes. Now with some food in my stomach, it was time to seriously think about the details surrounding this kidnapping case.

“Slow as usual, huh,” Alan’s voice in my head said, but alas, what could I have done about it? I’d overslept.

All right! We shall now commence an insightful analysis of the kidnap with a mental meeting.

Meeting chairwoman: Katarina Claes. Meeting representative: Katarina Claes. Meeting Secretary: Katarina Claes.

“Well then, I do think we should begin by sorting out the facts of our current situation. I would like to hear everyone’s opinions on the matter.”

“Yes, if I may. Perhaps we should start our deductions by organizing what we heard from Selena last night, as well as what Rufus said.”

“Yes, very much so. A good idea.”

“I agree.”

“Well then... from what Selena had said yesterday, she’s been depressed all this time, under the impression that she was of no use to Prince Ian.”

“That’s right.”

“And then this playboy butler, Rufus, appears at Selena’s side, proposing to kidnap Katarina so that she may be useful to Prince Ian... are the facts straight so far?”

“Hmm... If that really was the case, then perhaps he used the Dark Arts on Selena...”

“And then, Selena, obediently following Rufus’ plan, kidnaps Katarina. However, Rufus’ true goal is to pin all of this on Selena — she would be the scapegoat, and this would lead to her and Prince Ian’s downfall... correct?”

“Ohh! Miss Katarina Claes. What skillful, acute clarity! More so than usual — did something special happen?”

“Heheheh. You see, I had some delicious bread and a good night’s rest. My mind is now clearer and sharper than it has ever been, breaking all known barriers.”

“That’s amazing! As you are now, Miss Claes, you could start calling yourself Great Detective Katarina!”

“Oh, I like the sound of that. Great Detective Katarina... And soon after, I will open the Katarina Detective Agency, solving one impossible case after the other...”

“Everyone, please focus! This conversation is getting derailed!”

“Apologies...”

“All right, back to the topic at hand... from what Rufus said, his master was the one who had instigated this entire kidnapping affair... and that this is all to clear a path to the throne for Prince Jeffery.”

“That’s what he said, yes.”

“In that case, is the true mastermind behind all this Prince Jeffery himself?”

“But then... I can’t see him doing such a thing, especially after meeting him at the school festival.”

“...Yes, and even the treats he brought were delicious.”

“Ah yes, they were delectable.”

“Yes, I would love to try them again! Ah, just thinking about it makes me hungry...”

“Honestly, that bread was delicious, but there wasn’t quite enough of it!”

“Well said! That small portion size... enough for feeding the birds, perhaps! Ugh! The conversation is getting derailed once more! We have to get back on track...”

“You say that, but... I’ve already used my head quite enough! Now I’m hungry, and I can’t think of anything but food!”

“I feel the same way. After all, we don’t think very often, do we? The brain of Katarina Claes is already at its limits. It thirsts for sugar!”

“...It is as you say. All I can see in my mind are images of food...! Bread, meat, fish...”

“...Cakes, cookies, pies...”

“...Apples, oranges, grapes...”

And so, the Katarinas started talking about food and nothing else. The meeting was forcibly aborted.

I can’t do this anymore! All I see in my mind is food!

I know! I’ll have something brought to me.

With that, I leapt up, swiftly ringing the bell that Rufus had left me.

“...No way. Just how fearless can you get? Is this kid even really a noble lady...?” Rufus muttered, in a tone somewhat different from the one I was used to, as he poured me a cup of tea.

When Rufus arrived after I rang the bell, he’d said, “Oh, what have we here? Even the great Lady Katarina is uneasy, now? However, your role is to remain here just for a little while longer...” He spoke with a villainous smile on his face.

My response was simple: “Oh nah, nothing like that. I’m hungry, actually. Please give me something to eat. It’ll be tea time soon, right? I’d appreciate some sweets and tea.”

Rufus froze at my words. For a while, he remained unmoving... before a loud, audible rumble rose up from the depths of my stomach. The sound was enough to knock him back to his senses.

He left the room and then returned with a small cart laden with tea and snacks. Although he did seem somewhat scary a few moments ago, he did listen to my request and brought me the food and drink I asked for. Maybe he wasn’t such a bad person after all.

“Well, here it is. Enjoy,” he said, handing me a cup of tea as he did so.

Thanking him, I took the cup in my hands. “Could I ask that you join me for tea? I don’t really like to have it myself,” I said. It was true; my friends usually had tea with me. Even the previous day, Lana had accompanied me.

I figured it was fair to ask Rufus to join me this time around. He did bring me food, after all. Surely this wouldn’t be too much to ask? So I thought, but I was merely faced with another empty expression of surprise. Rufus really likes this expression, huh?

“...You... really... Ah, whatever. There’ll be no end to this craziness if I keep on getting surprised.” Rufus sat down across from me, a cup in one hand.

Hmm... So I guess he’s not a bad person after all, just as I thought. One thing was bothering me, though.

“Did the way you speak just... change?” Although I had spoken to Rufus somewhat freely, he had always addressed me formally, like earlier in the morn... well, noon. But now, he was speaking very casually.

“Ah that, yeah. I had to play the part of the butler, see, so I had to talk that way. But dealing with someone like you and keeping that up at the same time gets kinda dumb eventually, you know? That’s why I’ve gone back to talking like I normally do. I can change it back if it causes you distress, my lady.”

That final statement sounded unnatural, and was accompanied by an artificial smile. Now, more than ever, I could feel the dissonance.

“No, this is fine. Having you go back to talking formally feels somewhat... gross.”

“Ha, you think?”

“But so... you said you were playing the role of a butler? So you never really were one?”

Now that I was talking to him in this way, Rufus seemed nothing more than a young man from a downtown district. And yet he’d looked more butler-like than Sebastian, the Claes family’s butler, when I first met him...

“Do I look like a butler to you now?”

“Not really, no. No matter how I look at it now, you just seem like a young man from some downtown district in a nearby city.” I felt that I should offer a simple, honest answer.

“Not bad! You’re spot on. Pretty good,” Rufus replied, seemingly impressed. “Actually... you’re a noble, right? And you go downtown?”

“...Sometimes. I dress up and look the part.” I actually dragged Keith along and went pretty often. The food was cheap, there was fun to be had around every corner, and more than anything else, I liked the feeling of being a simple commoner.

That was, of course, all a secret. If Mother knew about it, she would be so upset and would start telling me off for “wandering off and fooling around again.”

“But then... you really are just an average guy from a downtown district? Were you born there?”

“Well, no. You got it right, mostly, but I wasn’t born there. My social life was spent there, yes, but I was born in the slums.”

“Eh? Slums! There are slums in this kingdom?!”

I understood what the word meant. But the kingdom that I lived in did pretty well for itself, mainly due to many of its population being gifted with magic. Even the commoners of these lands lived better than those in surrounding kingdoms and countries. So I’d been taught that slums didn’t exist... Did I simply not know of them?

Rufus, however, quickly dispelled any doubts I had. “Ah, you got it all wrong, see. I wasn’t born in this kingdom.”

“Eh, is that right?” So would this make Rufus a foreigner? I wondered. I couldn’t tell just by looking at him. To me, he didn’t seem foreign at all.

“When I was a kid, I was playing around with my friends from the slums when I got caught by human traffickers. So I got sold, and wandered from place to place until I was bought by my current master... in this country.”

Although his words were overwhelmingly casual, the reality behind them was not, and for a while I found myself at a loss for words.

“Surprised? A noble raised with love and care probably won’t believe this, but it’s more common than you think, you know? Especially in poorer countries. If anything, I’m lucky, right? I still have all my limbs, I’m still alive, and now I have these fine clothes to wear. I’m very blessed, you know?” Rufus said, as his eyes gazed off into the distance — at some faraway place beyond the confines of this room.

Some kind of feeling was rising up in my chest as I watched him. I wondered what it was...

“Ha, cat got your tongue? Even you are silent now. Or are you pitying me, thinking this is all really sad? Sorry, but I don’t need any of that. To begin with, I don’t think of myself as unfortunate.” The corner of Rufus’ lip curled up once more. His blue eyes stared right at me. It didn’t seem like he was putting up a brave front.

I finally started to understand what the feeling welling up in my chest was. “...cool.”

“Huh?” It seemed that Rufus hadn’t heard what I said, at least not clearly enough. I repeated myself.

“I think you’re pretty cool, Rufus.”

“...What’s this all of a sudden? Well, I get that I don’t look too shabby, but...”

“No, I’m not talking about how you look, but how you are on the inside. How you think.”

“...The hell is that supposed to mean? I don’t get it at all.”

“The straightforward way you think... I think it’s impressive. And cool.”

There were many in both common and noble society who blamed their own misfortunes on others. They would go on about how unfortunate they were, and how they had such a hard life, and should be pitied... and so on.

Although he had gone through so much in his life, Rufus didn’t seem to bemoan his own circumstances, or other people at all. In fact, he claimed that he was blessed — and this was what made me think that he was cool.

As I continued looking at him with an admiring gaze, Rufus froze up once more. Huh? What happened? Did I say something rude? Now that I calmly thought about it, I supposed I should have said something along the lines of “I empathize.”

“...Can’t believe it. I’m all the way here, and I’ve met someone who says exactly the same stuff that guy did...?” Rufus remained frozen for a while, before a small, but visible shiver set into his shoulders.

This is bad! I must have said something rude, and now Rufus is shivering in anger!

The tension was soon interrupted by a loud guffaw, however, and before I knew it, Rufus was hugging his stomach, laughing thunderously. His laughter was explosive, to say the least.

Eh? Why? What was funny about what I said? I could only continue to ponder as I waited for Rufus to calm down.

After a while, he finally recovered from his laughing fit and spoke again. “Ha... You’re really interesting, you know that? Been a while since I laughed like this.”

“Huh...” I didn’t remember saying anything particularly funny.

“Hey, let’s talk some more. I suddenly feel like it’d be good to keep talking, see?”

“...Huh.”

After that, I talked to Rufus at length...

...about the delicious bread in that light meal.

“So, please do tell! The bread in that light meal you offered me just now... who made it?”

“Ah, that? I bought it from that one bakery downtown, you know? Though it would not fit the tastes of a lady—”

“Eh?! A bakery downtown? Where exactly is it? It was so delicious! I really must go and buy some next time!”

“You’re really weird, you know that?”

...and about my hobbies and skills.

“Tilling fields is one of my hobbies!”

“Fields? Like... flower fields? Something like that?”

“Nope. Fields with crops.”

“...Why?”

“Why? Well, because it’s fun, I suppose?”

“...”

“Oh, and I’m the top when it comes to tree-climbing and fishing skills! I’m pretty confident about it!”

“...Are you even really a noble lady?”

...and about stories of the foreign lands Rufus had seen before ending up in this kingdom.

“Say, you said you’ve wandered from place to place, right? How many kingdoms and foreign lands have you been to?”

“How many...? A bunch, here and there, I guess?”

“Which kingdoms have you been to? I want to hear more about other kingdoms besides this one!”

“Sure, but I don’t think it’s gonna be anything pretty, if you’re expecting something like that. After all, all I’ve done is wander through the dirty underbellies of a bunch of societies... Still want to hear about it?”

“Underbelly! Societies! So it’s a hardboiled world!!”

“Ha? Hard what? And... why are your eyes sparkling like that? Just what are you expecting...?”

Rufus had lots of stories about places and events that I’d never heard of before. It was very interesting. I wanted to hear more and more, but most of the day went by before I even realized it.

“So... come to think of it, since you’re not really a butler, does that mean that ‘Rufus’ is a false name, too?” I asked, the thought suddenly crossing my mind.

“Yeah, I used the Dark Arts to infiltrate the Berg family and all that, you know? So what would be the point in using my actual name?” He had a point.

“Well then... what’s your real name?”

“I have more names than I can count. One for each place, you know?”

Ooohh! As expected of one who lived in the underbellies of societies, a true hardboiled life!

“Then what was your original name?” I asked, leaning in as I did so.

Before I realized it, Rufus’ face was right in front of me. Ooh. This is the first time I’d seen his face up close. Now that I was at this distance... Hmm, yes. Very sensual features...

“Don’t got one. Unlike you lot, I don’t have parents, see? By the time I even thought about who I was, I was already sifting through trash in the slums.”

Ooh, he even has a beauty spot under one of his eyes — one of the prerequisite features for a sensual, flirty character. It truly was something else. This man, laden with sex appeal, far exceeded Keith’s capabilities. And then there were his eyes, behind the lenses of his glasses...

“Oi! What’s with you, clamming up like that? Too traumatic of a conversation for a lady like yourself?”

“...really beautiful.”

“Ha?”

“Your eyes! Your eyes are really beautiful, like the pure blue sky!”

“...”

Now that I was this close, Rufus’ eyes were indeed a clear shade of blue, like the skies above on a good day. The way the setting sun lit up his eyes — it was almost like they were sparkling. Anyone would fall for that.

“...You really...”

“?”

Rufus extended his hand, placing it on my cheek. The touch of his pretty fingers was somewhat ticklish. Is there something stuck on my cheek? Food, maybe?

Also, why is his face slowly approaching mine? Am I simply imagining things?

A familiar sound rose from my belly at that exact moment; the thunderous roar of hunger.

Although I had been fed sweets and snacks earlier, it was already evening. My stomach was informing me about the current time of day. It was dinner time.

Rufus’ movements stopped at the loud sound, and suddenly his shoulders were shivering again.

After a while, the shivering stopped, and with a simple laugh, he said, “Guess I’ll bring you dinner too, huh.”

Although I’d been moved to a separate room to have my dinner yesterday, it seemed like I’d be having it in this room tonight. At Rufus’ command, the servants who’d brought me my meals yesterday started bringing dinner into the room.

As usual, I didn’t like eating alone. I invited Rufus, and he was quick to agree.

“Come to think of it, what happened to Lana? I haven’t seen her...”

Everything that Lana had done for me yesterday was now being handled by Rufus, it seemed. I hadn’t seen her since she’d guided Selena into my room last night.

“Ah, I have her working on some other things. Don’t worry about that.”

Is that so? That’s good, then. I did want to speak more with her, though.

Soon after, I started asking Rufus about his time in foreign lands again. Homes and villages made entirely of stone, a city with a river flowing through it, with its denizens commuting with the aid of boats and ships... Rufus regaled me with tales of his time there, and the work he did. It was all very thrilling and interesting.

“Ha! Honestly Rufus, your stories are so interesting.”

“The things you tell me are interesting too. It’s too bad you’re some nobleman’s daughter.”

This was a compliment, right? I chose to believe so, saying a plain “thank you” and nodding my head. “I’ve never set foot outside this kingdom, but when I’m talking to you, it feels like I’ve gone on an overseas vacation!”

My previous life did end without me taking a single step out of Japan, after all. If possible, I wanted to visit other countries in this new life of mine.

“Haha, well if it’s with you, I feel like I’d like to go visit those places again.”

“!” My father was overprotective, and Mother didn’t really like me going out very much. I once asked why, only for her to say that “the shame would eventually find its way back to me.” I didn’t really get it.

Considering all that, visiting a foreign country was like a dream within a dream. Even so, I was ecstatic at Rufus’ words.

“Really? Then please do take me with you next time!” I said, looking at him with sparkling, anticipatory eyes. Rufus, however, returned my gaze with a troubled expression.

Eh? Did I mess up? I really did believe what Rufus said... perhaps it was just well-intentioned flattery?

“We live in different worlds, you and I. You know that, right? There’s no way I can take you with me.” That was his response.

“Different... worlds? What do you mean? Aren’t you sitting before me right now, as you are?”

“...”

“We’re talking together, eating together. Doesn’t this mean we’re in the same world, then?”

What’s he going on about? I shook my head slightly, before looking at Rufus once more — only to find him frozen in place... again? Hmm? What is it this time?

“You... really are a strange one, you know that? Okay, I get it. I’ll bring you along next time.”

All right! Here’s to my first vacation-friend! “Okay! It’s a promise. Hm... let’s pinky promise.” I said, holding out my little finger. Rufus, however, didn’t seem to understand the gesture.

Ah, right... those probably don’t exist in this world. Hmm... how are promises made in this world again?

That’s right! I headed to the drawer where the dress I had initially worn at the time I was captured was kept and stuck my hand into its pocket. There it is!

I held it tight and returned to Rufus’ side. I then placed the item squarely in his hands. “Here. A symbol of our promise — I am entrusting it to you.”

Although there was no such thing as pinky promises in this world, an equivalent did exist — and that was handing over a personal possession to the other person.

“This is a... brooch?” Rufus said, staring at the object in his hands.

It was a brooch indeed, the blue one that my classmates had encouraged me to buy. “It is a pretty color, right? It matches your eyes. The blue of the sky.”

“...”

I retrieved the brooch from Rufus’ outstretched hand. “And then... if you tilt it this way so that it catches the light... see? It’s azure now. Aqua-blue. Like how my eyes are, right?”

With that, I returned the brooch to his hands once more. “The color of your eyes, and the color of mine... this brooch is both at the same time! Perfect as a symbol of our promise.”

I personally thought it was an amazing suggestion, and was very proud of myself. Rufus, however, was making that familiar dumbstruck expression again.

Eh? What? Why? What happened? How very mysterious, I thought.

Suddenly I felt myself drawn in. Rufus had put his arm around me, bringing me close — and before I knew it, I found myself in his arms. In the very next moment, he had swept me off my feet, and he was now apparently carrying me entirely.

Hmm... I feel like you only see this kind of princess-carry in manga or games.

But eh? Why? I was at a loss as I found myself being transported to the room’s bed, before Rufus promptly placed me down on it.

“Being with you... warms up my chest, you know. Been a while since I felt anything like this.”

Huh? What’s with this position? My back was now squarely on the bed, and Rufus was looking down at me... from above.

At some point in time, the glasses he wore had come off as well, and I was able to get a much better view of his blue eyes, now that the lenses were out of the way.

Ahh... he really does have pretty eyes. They were so beautiful that I forgot this strange situation in an instant.

“Hey... would you like to be mine?” His pure blue eyes were such a wonderful color. “If you keep looking at me with your eyes sparkling like that... don’t complain if I end up doing... something,” Rufus said, bringing his head close to my neck. The sound of his breaths finally jolted me back to reality.

Wh-What is this situation... no! It can’t be! Placing me on the bed like that... he’s going to use the Dark Arts on me and put me to sleep!

I’d let my guard down, thinking he was a nice person, but it didn’t change the fact that he was responsible for my kidnap in the first place! He even said that he would have me disappear... at this rate, I’d be put to sleep for multiple days!

While my two-day magic-induced slumber last year was quite refreshing, it was hard on my body when I did wake up! If I was put to sleep again for two days, that would be fine, but a few weeks... the mere thought of the ensuing muscle pains was enough to worry me.

“Um... wait— Rufus...?” A slight spike of pain spread through my neck as I opened my mouth to speak. For some reason, I felt like I had experienced this before... what was it, again? Was I being bitten by a bug, perhaps? Just as the pain was about to steal away my consciousness once more...

Bang bang! Two loud thuds came from the direction of the door, followed by Lana’s loud voice. “Master Rufus, are you available?”

Rufus clicked his tongue softly at her words. “I am currently... occupied.”

But Lana wasn’t so easily driven away. “It is quite an urgent matter,” came her response, in the same loud voice.

In the end, Rufus gave in, climbing off the bed and heading towards the door. “Ugh... right when it was getting good, too,” Rufus sighed before opening the door.

Lana greeted him with a smile. “A letter of utmost importance has just arrived for you,” she said.

“Who is it from...?” Rufus said, seemingly displeased.

Lana’s smile, however, did not waver. “I have left it in your room. Perhaps it would be in your interest to read it as soon as possible.”

Rufus’ eyes opened wide at Lana’s statement. “...You. No... can’t be. Well. I guess that’s how it is...” he sighed heavily before exiting the room altogether.

Lana rushed in soon after. “Lady Katarina, are you all right?” she asked, worry evident on her face.

“I’m okay. I suspect he was about to cast magic on me...”

“Ah? Magic? Where?”

“Hmm? Ah, he had pinned me down on the bed, you see, and I was sure he was going to use his magic to put me to sleep... but I have been saved thanks to you, Lana!”

“...”

Eh? What is it now? Lana had an ambiguous expression on her face.

“Well... in any case. I am very glad you are all right,” Lana said, before sighing deeply for some reason.

There were many things I didn’t understand, but I found myself in the bed once more on the second night of my confinement.

I’d assumed that I would have trouble sleeping, given that I had overslept well into the noon. But I ended up falling asleep with no trouble at all. Truly amazing, Katarina Claes!

However... yet another visitor came knocking in the night.

“Katarina... psst. Katarina.”

“Ha...?” Still half asleep, I turned my eyes to the source of the voice... only to see Rufus standing at my bedside.

“Wah!” I gasped, involuntarily jumping out of my sheets.

“Haha. You really do sleep well, huh.”

“Wh-What do you want?” I asked in a more guarded fashion, upon remembering what had happened after our dinner.

“I guess I really put you on your guard, huh. But that’s fine. I won’t be doing anything anymore. It’s time to face the music, see.”

“Face... music?”

“Yeah. To tell the truth, I wanted to escape with you, out of this kingdom... but I guess that would be too reckless. I’ll give up on that. It’s become all very complicated, see, because of this magic. Seems like I have to be good for a while... and be taken into custody.”

“?” Hmm? I didn’t understand what he was saying. What’s this all about? Flee the kingdom? Custody?

“Well... I guess I’ll never see you again if I go along with it, so I’m here. Hoping to see your face one last time.”

With that, he extended his arm once more and placed his hand on my face. His touch was ticklish, like before.

“One last time? What do...”

Before I could ask him what this was all about, I could suddenly hear a series of sounds outside.

“Oh... they’re faster than I expected.” Rufus withdrew his hand and retreated some distance away from my bedside.

At that very moment, the door was thrown open with a loud slam, and before me was none other than...

“Eh...? Why is everyone here?”

Jeord, Keith, Mary, Alan, Sophia, Nicol, Maria, and Raphael. All of my friends rushed into the room, their expressions collectively grave and severe. Leading them all was...

“...Lana?”

“Yes. I introduced myself as such a while ago, but I suppose re-introductions are in order. I am Larna Smith, of the Magical Ministry. Raphael’s superior. I hope we’ll get along.”

“!” Isn’t she a maid? What was this? She’s Raphael’s superior at the ministry?

She regarded me with a smile as I remained stunned. Then she shifted her gaze to Rufus. “I see that you have chosen to remain... have you steeled yourself for what is to come, then?”

“Yes. I’ll tell you everything... in your custody,” Rufus said, nodding meekly. His expression didn’t seem authentic though.

“Well said. I see your head is in the right place. Without further ado... Rufus Brode. You are hereby under arrest as the culprit responsible for the kidnap of Lady Katarina Claes. In any case... take him away.”

At Lana’s, or I guess, Larna’s command, some people stepped out from behind her — staff members of the ministry, if I had to guess. They surrounded Rufus swiftly. Before long, he was restrained and led out of the room.

What is this feeling...? I had been on guard after realizing that he had attempted to use his magic on me... But the way he lived his life was admirable, and his stories were interesting. I felt uneasiness well up in my chest.

“U-Um!”

Rufus and his entourage of ministry guard stopped at the sound of my voice. But... I was at a loss for words. What did I want to say, exactly...?

And then — “I’ll hold on to it. Until our promise is fulfilled,” Rufus said, opening his palm ever so slightly. In it, I caught a gleam of blue. It was the brooch that I had handed to him.

I could only nod and respond cheerfully with a plain “Yes.”

With that, Rufus was taken away to the Magical Ministry.

★★★★★★★★★

By the time I even thought about who I was, I was already living with my friends in the slums.

I stole, cheated, and lied — it was the most obvious thing to do. I had no parents, no name. My friends in the slums taught me their way of life.

But everything changed when a certain man came to our territory.

He came from the outside world. Looked lanky, almost, but was surprisingly powerful. Before I knew it, he was already living close to us.

The man was different — he had a name. I learned a lot from him.

Many kids in my group didn’t like this man from the outside world. But I thought that the things he had to say were interesting, so I quickly got to know him.

And then one day... this man gave me, a slum rat, a name. He called me “Sora.” I asked him where it came from.

“From your beautiful blue eyes; like the sky,” the man said, laughing as he gazed at my eyes. I felt a strange warmth welling up in my chest. It was like nothing I’d ever felt before.

From that day, I began calling myself Sora, and started visiting this man even more than before. He had a lot more than just stories of the outside world — he even taught me how to read and write, and also basic math. The boundaries of my world expanded because of him. Before I realized it, each day was becoming happier than the last.

One day, the man said to me, “Hey, Sora. Don’t you dislike the things I tell you about the outside world?”

“What kinda question is that?”

“Well, you see... the rest of them don’t like hearing about it. They all end up feeling miserable. You are the only one who doesn’t react that way.”

“Why miserable?”

“...Well. It’s that... upon knowing of the outside world, they become aware of their own situation, you see?”

“I don’t get it. What’s that mean?”

“...That is to say. You all don’t even have names, and struggle to live from day to day. Doesn’t it feel bad to hear stories of children in the outside world, who were loved and cherished by their parents?”

“Ah... so that’s what you mean.”

“You don’t feel miserable when hearing about things like that?”

“Hmm... I mean, people from the outside world are just that, right? They’re people from the outside world, and I’m just me. It’s none of my business how a bunch of people I don’t know live their lives.”

“...Are you not dissatisfied with your current way of life, Sora?”

“’Course I am! Even I want to sleep in a nice warm bed and eat a good meal! Even so, what are you gonna do about it? Being envious of some other people you don’t know doesn’t really help. You know... I don’t really think of myself as unfortunate or anything. After all, I’m living safely every day, and I can talk about these interesting things with you, right? I think that’s enough for me.”

“...You know Sora, you’re pretty cool.”

“Wh-What are you saying, out of nowhere! You messing with me?”

“Ha! Hardly. I just feel that the way you think is really admirable. It’s cool, you see. You should keep living your life just as you are... without ever being swept away by those around you.” The man placed a hand on my head, ruffling my hair. For some reason, I felt my cheeks heat up.

It was a while after this exchange that the man fell very, very ill. Although he was strong, I guess his body couldn’t keep up with the dirty living conditions of the slums.

The man grew weaker and weaker with each passing day. My other friends all said the same thing. That nothing could be done, that this was something that happened a lot to people who wander into the slums... that I should just give up. But I didn’t give up.

Up until then, I had seen so many of my friends die from sickness, or wounds that never quite heal... but I just couldn’t give up on the man.

And so... I eventually snuck into a house on my own. A house belonging to a family with a high social standing. And then I was caught, and sold to slavers. I don’t know what happened to the man after that.

I drifted from country to country, kingdom to kingdom. I came to know of just how big the world was, and how ugly it could be. Thanks to the language and math skills the man taught me, I was of more use than most of the others from the slums. I was valued.

Even so... sometimes, I was just so disgusted. There were times when I wanted to shout at, scream at, hurl insults at the world. But whenever I felt that way, I remembered the man’s words. “I just feel that the way you think is really admirable. It’s cool, you see. You should keep living your life just as you are... without ever being swept away by those around you.”

They were the words of a man who was gone from this world... and yet, they stayed with me.

It was a few years ago when I ended up serving David Mason. Mason bought me for a reason — the fact that I could use magic. Though I couldn’t really do much; maybe just start a small fire, but that was it.

Back in the slums, my bed was always under the cold, wintery skies. My powers were useful then, but I was surprised to find out that what I was doing had been a sign of magical talent. I had been mostly drifting through countries that didn’t really have magic, and that’s why no one noticed it for so long.

But Mason found out after buying me that I didn’t have much magical power at all. He probably bought me thinking I was really strong, and wanted to use my powers.

So, even though I was bought for that exact reason, I didn’t end up having much of a chance to use my magic at all. I ended up learning everything the other thugs and ruffians who were purchased with me were taught. All the different threats, backdoor dealings, and dirty deeds we helped him out with.

Still, it was a lot easier to live with Mason than it had been in the places I’d been before. We were taught the right social etiquette we needed for our sneaking into different situations. There were hot meals every day, and a soft, comfortable bed to sleep in. And it got even better — we were given fine clothing, and we had all the women we wanted. It was just one good thing after the next.

After a while, I began thinking that this was it, that I could just continue living my life to the fullest here. But trouble had a way of finding me, and its tendrils soon creeped into my life.

It all began last year. It involved some Marquess’ family, and apparently Dark Magic had been involved. Dark Magic could be used to control people. It was a taboo subject, or so I was told, but word of what had happened somehow got out into the world. Of course, information like that is usually erased by the powers that be, but that family had a lot of dark connections, so the news had leaked to even a small-time crook like Mason.

That was how I learned about Dark Magic, the Dark Arts, and how people got that kind of power, the power that Mason wanted. To get it, someone who could use magic had to perform a ritual that involved a sacrifice. That sacrifice was another person’s life.

Mason, of course, didn’t have any magic, and that was when he remembered that I existed. Under his orders, I would obtain Dark Magic.

And so... I underwent the ritual with a sacrifice Mason had prepared — an elderly person with no living relatives. Honestly, the idea of sacrificing someone to gain powers seemed very suspicious to me. In fact, I doubted that it would even work. But Mason, despite being a small-time crook, had actually done the work and received reliable information. As a result, I successfully gained the powers of the Dark Arts.

But when I actually tried using it, I realized that it wasn’t as powerful as you might think. There were a lot of rules. For starters, it was impossible to make someone feel emotions that they didn’t originally have. For instance, I couldn’t make someone love something that they hated and vice versa.

And then there was the fact that my magical power was low to begin with. This is probably why my Dark Magic didn’t work on people who were really strong in magic. If their magic was stronger than mine, it was hard for me to affect them. Mason was pretty irritated when he realized all this.

The man known as David Mason belonged to a political faction that supported the first crown prince of the kingdom, Jeffery Stuart. He was probably promised a high position once Jeffery became king, so he did everything he could to ensure that Jeffery would take the throne. That was why he ordered me to become a Wielder of Darkness to begin with.

From what I understood, Mason had planned to have me use these powers on Prince Jeffery’s enemies. That’d be Prince Ian and Prince Jeord. I was supposed to make them renounce their claim to the throne. But the difference in magical power between me and them was too much. I knew it would be impossible to influence them. All of the princes were very magically talented, so even trying would be too much of a risk.

For a while, Mason was irritated and upset by the failure of his plans. He even took it out on me. But after a while he calmed down, and eventually decided to think of some way to utilize the Dark Magic he had. Well... I was the one who had it, but anyway.

Mason thought and thought about what to do. He wasn’t very smart, but he finally came up with a plan... which was this kidnapping.

My target would not be Prince Ian at all, but his fiancée, Selena Berg. Apparently she didn’t have very strong magical power at all. I would then use her to capture Prince Jeord’s fiancée, Katarina Claes, who didn’t have much magical talent either. With that done, the plan was to use the two as hostages and force the two princes to renounce their claims to the throne.

After everything was said and done, I would pin everything on Selena, and erase the powerful Berg family from noble society. They were an important family that supported Prince Ian, and this would get them out of the way. At least, that was the plan.

Really though, David Mason wasn’t a very smart man. I’d been to many places, and seen many types of criminals... but Mason? He was nothing more than a small-time crook. For him to come up with such a complicated plan... Well, he tried his best, but there were too many holes.

Still, if the plan were to fall through, all I had to do was cut all ties with him and escape. If I couldn’t do that, all I had to say was that my master made me do it against my will, and probably shed some tears for effect. I was born with a pretty good face, I’d like to think. If I made an adequate expression of sorrow and cried a few tears, they’d immediately empathize with me. I had so many close calls in my life, and had overcome so many dangerous situations. It would be no different this time. It’d all work out, one way or another.

And so, I put on the expensive clothing that was prepared for me and put on some glasses to look the part, and infiltrated the Berg family home. After making the right preparations, I successfully kidnapped Katarina Claes, but...

“I can’t believe this... after everything that happened, you’re just sleeping here? Does this kid have nerves of steel or something?!” I said, unintentionally reverting back to how I normally spoke.

It had been two days since Katarina was kidnapped. Last night, I had used the Dark Arts on Selena to make sure she wouldn’t tell Katarina anything. But that night, Selena snuck out when I wasn’t watching. She snuck into Katarina’s room and ended up telling her everything about the kidnapping plot, before finally saying that she’d let her go, and that the kidnapping was over.

I guess Selena’s will was stronger than I’d given her credit for, and the magic had been partly dispelled. I couldn’t believe I made such a mistake... ugh. What a failure.

But of course, I couldn’t just let things end like that, so I put Selena to sleep with my Dark Magic. And I made sure to issue a light threat to Katarina too while I was at it.

When I visited her room the next morning, I assumed that the silence in her room was one of fear, and that that she was curled up and cowering somewhere. But then, noon passed without a sound. Did she pass out from the fear? This is why I don’t like dealing with noble ladies... At least, that’s what I thought.

I entered her room — and lying spread-eagled before me was the sleeping Katarina. She was sleeping very well, from the looks of it. I couldn’t stop myself from saying something about it. It was just too much.

“Hnnh? Rufus...?” I guess Katarina finally woke up, sensing that someone else was in the room. Then she called my name.

“I am honored that you would remember the name of one such as myself, Lady Katarina. I do think, however, that it would be a most prudent time to rise. It is already past noon,” I said.

She was surprised. “Eh?! Already past noon!”

For a moment, I went back to my normal way of speaking from the absurdity of it all. “...You react to that of all things, huh.”

“I do surprise myself sometimes, yes...”

Is she really the daughter of some noble? Maybe I kidnapped the wrong person by mistake? It was enough to make me start suspecting myself.

The rumors all said that she was... kind of weird. But I didn’t think she’d be quite this weird. At that point, I definitely thought she was a little crazy. Then she stared right at me and spoke.

“There’s a lot I want to ask you, but most importantly... is Selena all right?”

She’s the type that carves and walks her own path, huh. “...The rumors don’t do you justice, do they? Very well, I shall answer your question. Lady Selena is fine; she is safely sleeping in her room.”

“...Is that so.” With that, she started staring at me again. “Rufus... are you a Wielder of Darkness?”

A surprisingly straightforward question. Even I was caught off guard by how forward she was. “...My, aren’t you blunt with your questions.”

“I couldn’t think of any roundabout ways to ask, you see,” Katarina responded in a somewhat absent-minded way.

“What a strange person you are, indeed! Since you know of the existence of Dark Magic... well then. I suppose you, too, were involved in last year’s incident.”

“!” Katarina froze in surprise.

“Surprised? Since that was supposed to be all hushed up... ah. But you see, it is impossible to cover everything up. After all, many nobles with close ties to the Dieke family are quite shady individuals themselves.”

Judging by how Selena had spilled the beans yesterday, I supposed it was fine to talk about it. All I had to do if it came down to it was to manipulate her memories. And since the threat yesterday seemed to have had no effect on this eccentric noble lady, I had to scare her a little more.

“So you see... he, too, became interested in Dark Magic.”

“...Him who?”

“Ah. That would be my master. I became a Wielder of Darkness under his orders, before making my way into the family of Duke Berg...”

“Wh-Why though?”

“Why would you do such a thing...?”

Finally! I’ve had some effect. At this rate, she would probably keep to herself for some time.

“Surely even you are terrified now? Well then, I suppose that’s all we need to talk about, now. I’ve left a light meal here — do help yourself.”

I left a bell in her room, for her to ring just in case she ever needed anything, and then left. Well, she’ll probably never ring it anyway. Or so I thought...

I realized how naive that thought was less than an hour later.

I was a little surprised when I heard the sound of the bell ringing. Maybe she was unnerved by my threats. But...

“Oh nah, nothing like that. I’m hungry, actually. Please give me something to eat. It’ll be tea time soon, right? I’d appreciate some sweets and tea.”

Katarina’s brazen request completely changed what I thought of her. Before, I thought she was just an eccentric, but I was wrong. She was a total freak.

With that in mind... continuing the whole butler charade seemed stupid. After all, this girl probably didn’t care how I spoke at all.

“Well, here it is. Enjoy.”

Anyway, I prepared the snacks and tea she’d asked for and handed them to her. With a simple “thank you,” she quickly accepted.

A noble thanking a servant...? Katarina was either really off her rocker... or maybe she wasn’t an arrogant noble at all.

After a single sip of the cup of tea, she said, “Could I ask that you join me for tea? I don’t really like to have it by myself.”

“...You... really... Ah, whatever. There’ll be no end to this craziness if I keep on getting surprised.” I really didn’t have the energy to be surprised by this girl anymore. I sat down, just as she requested.

“Did the way you speak just... change?”

Ah. Guess she finally noticed.

“No, this is fine. Having you go back to talking formally feels somewhat... gross,” she declared casually.

“Ha, you think?”

“But so... you said you were playing the role of a butler? So you never really were one?”

Under normal circumstances, I would have simply evaded the question. But for some reason... I felt like I could talk about it with this girl.

“Do I look like a butler to you now?”

“Not really, no. No matter how I look at it now, you just seem like a young man from some downtown district in a nearby city.”

“Not bad! You’re spot on. Pretty good. Actually... you’re a noble, right? And you go downtown?”

“...Sometimes. I dress up and look the part.”

Her answer was honestly surprising. Most nobles look down on the common people; they wouldn’t be caught dead in a place like that. Mason was the same way. His eyes probably couldn’t even see commoners. That was why he used us however he wanted, like disposable pawns.

...This girl was nothing like Mason. She was the oldest daughter of a Duke, and yet this high-class noble lady was going to a place like the downtown district. Just like the weirdo she was.

“But then... you really are just an average guy from a downtown district? Were you born there?”

“Well, no. You got it right, mostly, but I wasn’t born there. My social life was spent there, yes, but I was born in the slums.”

“Eh? Slums! There are slums in this kingdom?!”

Seemed like she misunderstood. I corrected her, saying, “Ah, you got it all wrong, see. I wasn’t born in this kingdom.”

“Eh, is that right?”

Katarina’s surprised face made the mischievous part of my heart tingle.

I never thought of hiding the fact that I was raised in the slums. I didn’t think it’s a bad thing, but people who I told furrowed their brows and looked at me like I was dirt. Either that, or they’d look at me with pity, especially if I talked about how I was raised.

But Katarina just seemed surprised. I wondered how she’d react if I told her a bit more about my life. With that in mind, I continued...

Katarina just looked more and more surprised. That reaction wasn’t too different from most other people at this point. I went on.

As I talked, I couldn’t help but start thinking of that man, the one who’d given me my name, for the first time in a while. That man probably wasn’t alive anymore... but I think I said this same thing to him long ago.

I found myself getting a little nostalgic. Returning my attention back to Katarina, I noticed that she was now silent, and had raised a hand to her chest.

I had talked about my life and how I’d grown up with the many women I’d slept with before. When they heard about what happened, some of them would be shocked and withdraw, and some would shower me with pity.

But I believed what I said. I didn’t feel like I was unfortunate in any way. Actually I was happy, and felt blessed to be able to live this way. Though... no one else would really get it, though.

Well then, which of the two would this girl be? I narrowed my eyes, awaiting her reaction.

After a long silence, she finally spoke. “...cool.”

“Huh?” I didn’t understand what Katarina had just said, and was caught off guard. What’s she trying to say? Did I mishear her? But then...

“I think you’re pretty cool, Rufus.” There it was again. She said the same thing.

“...What’s this all of a sudden? Well, I get that I don’t look too shabby, but...” I knew I looked pretty good. But what was this girl going on about after all this time?

“No, I’m not talking about how you look, but how you are on the inside. How you think.”

“...The hell is that supposed to mean? I don’t get it at all.”

“The straightforward way you think... I think it’s impressive. And cool.” She didn’t speak with disgust or rejection, or even pity.

“I just feel that the way you think... is really admirable. It’s cool, you see. You should keep living your life just as you are... without ever being swept away by those around you.”

They were alike. What she said was just like what that man had said a long, long time ago.

“...Can’t believe it. I’m all the way here, and I’ve met someone who says exactly the same stuff that guy did...?”

It felt like my emotions were flowing back into the past. It was a mysterious feeling, as if something that I had forgotten about long, long ago was suddenly coming back to life.

I turned to face Katarina, only to see her sparkling eyes looking straight at me. What is with her, really...? What a mysterious girl. Not only strange, but interesting.

I wondered what she thought as I sat there, all quiet. Now she was staring at me with her mouth agape. I couldn’t help myself at the sight of her. I had to laugh.

“Gahahaha!!” My previously restrained voice erupted into laughter. I couldn’t hold it back anymore — I was struck by waves of laughing, just like back then, when I fooled around with my friends in the slums. “Ha... You’re really interesting, you know that? Been a while since I laughed like this.”

“Huh...”

It suddenly felt like I was back there, back during those times, riding on a wave of emotions.

“Hey, let’s talk some more. I suddenly feel like it’d be good to keep talking, see?”

The more I talked with her, the more I realized just what kind of weirdo Katarina Claes was.

I actually bought the bread in the light meal I’d prepared for her from a bakery in the downtown district. I’d done it out of spite, thinking that I’d insult the noble lady by giving her such food. But as for Katarina...

“Eh?! A bakery downtown? Where exactly is it? It was so delicious! I really must go and buy some next time!” she said, barely concealing her excitement. It seemed like she didn’t have a speck of that strange pride that most nobles had.

And then I found out that her hobbies apparently included tilling fields. She didn’t even grow flowers, but instead grew actual crops. And her special skills included fishing and tree-climbing. Honestly, she just seemed like she was some kind of rowdy kid.

Katarina was also very interested in the stories of my travels from when I’d drifted around. I lived in the underbellies of the places I’d lived in. They weren’t good places, so I didn’t have any pleasant stories to tell.

Still, she wanted to hear them, and so I told her. I told her about thugs and turf wars, and the dark things I got dragged into, and all that. Any normal girl would find the stories I told terrifying. But Katarina kept nodding with those sparkling eyes of hers. “Amazing, amazing!” she’d say.

Honestly... I felt like this girl was nothing like any other woman I’d met before.

Before I knew it, I was lost in conversation with this girl, and most of the day had gone by. That was when Katarina suddenly, bluntly asked me a question.

“So... come to think of it, since you’re not really a butler, does that mean that ‘Rufus’ is a false name, too?”

“Yeah, I used the Dark Arts to infiltrate the Berg family and all that, you know? So what would be the point in using my actual name?”

“Well then... what’s your real name?”

“I have more names than I can count. One for each place, you know?”

It was true. In fact, I had so many names, that all my fingers and toes couldn’t possibly count them all if I tried.

“Then what was your original name?”

I felt the name the man had given me flash in my mind. “Sora,” I wanted to say, as Katarina’s eyes stared straight into mine. But...

“Don’t got one. Unlike you lot, I don’t have parents, see? By the time I even thought about who I was, I was already sifting through trash in the slums.”

The first name that was given to me by that man... I hadn’t used it ever since. But being asked what my actual name was made me think of that name.

I eventually pulled my slightly wandering mind back to reality, and then turned to Katarina once more, only to find her sitting absolutely still.

“Oi! What’s with you, clamming up like that? Too traumatic of a conversation for a lady like yourself?”

We’d been talking about some pretty heavy things all this time. I guess hearing about how I don’t even have a name gifted to me by my parents was a little too much? But then, Katarina responded to my question in a totally irrelevant way.

“...really beautiful.”

“Ha?” What was this all about, all of a sudden? I didn’t get it. I could only stare back, surprised, at Katarina’s glittering, aqua-blue eyes.

“Your eyes! Your eyes are really beautiful, like the pure blue sky!”

“...”

“From your beautiful blue eyes; like the sky,” was what that man had said to me, a long time ago. The same man who gifted me with the name “Sora.”

“I just feel that the way you think... is really admirable. It’s cool, you see.”

What she said just now was slightly different, but the way she thought about things was so similar to him. It was like I was finally able to meet someone I thought I’d never see again. It was a strange feeling.

I didn’t even realize I was doing it, but soon I was holding Katarina in my arms. My heart was overflowing with an emotion I’d never felt before. It was a precious, truly wonderful feeling.

I brushed my fingertips against her soft face, only for her to giggle. I found myself drawn to those pink lips...

Then suddenly, a thunderous sound arose from her belly, jolting me back to reality.

Katarina’s blushing face was right in front of me — and I found myself laughing again.

“Guess I’ll bring you dinner too, huh.”

While I had Katarina moved to another room for dinner because of Selena’s wishes yesterday, I decided to have her meal delivered to her room this time. She was a hostage, after all. I couldn’t let her just prance around the manor like that.

I had the servants bring dinner to her room... only for her to invite me again. “It’s not any fun to eat on my own.”

By now, I found myself somewhat comfortable with this girl, and any more objections at this point would probably be kind of silly. I quickly agreed.

“Come to think of it, what happened to Lana? I haven’t seen her...”

“Ah, I have her working on some other things. Don’t worry about that.”

Lana was the maid I hired a while ago. She was an accomplice to this whole plan. She didn’t have any living relatives, so it’d be easy to silence her if it ever came down to it. I’d originally hired her only for that reason, but I realized that she was actually very useful when I assigned her some tasks. She did her work well and was tight-lipped. She turned out to be very capable. Right now I was having her look after Selena, whose situation had become a little complicated.

As we started to eat, Katarina once again asked for me to tell her tales from faraway lands, and so I obliged.

“Ha! Honestly Rufus, your stories are so interesting,” Katarina said after her meal, seemingly finally satisfied with all she had heard.

“The things you tell me are interesting too. It’s too bad you’re some nobleman’s daughter.”

This was my honest opinion. Really, it seemed like having a personality like hers and being a noble lady was probably rough.

“I’ve never set foot outside this kingdom, but when I’m talking to you, it feels like I’ve gone on an overseas vacation!”

“Haha, well if it’s with you, I feel like I’d like to go visit those places again,” I said absently, going along with the conversation. I didn’t expect any kind of actual response.

And yet — “Really? Then please do take me with you next time!”

My eyes widened in surprise. What the hell was she talking about...? “We live in different worlds, you and I. You know that, right? There’s no way I can take you with me.”

I wasn’t ashamed about my way of life. Even so, I knew very well what kind of person I was, and where I belonged. That was why I understood that once this entire farce was over and done with, I wouldn’t be able to spend any more time with this girl.

“Different... worlds? What do you mean? Aren’t you sitting before me right now, as you are?” Katarina said, looking straight at me the entire time. “We’re talking together, eating together. Doesn’t this mean we’re in the same world, then?”

Her expression was like she thought I’d said something ridiculous! Naturally, I found myself laughing in response. “You... really are a strange one, you know that? Okay, I get it. I’ll bring you along next time.”

Katarina smiled happily at my words. “Okay! It’s a promise. Hm... let’s pinky promise.”

Pinky what now? What’s that? Some special cultural gesture in this kingdom I didn’t know about?

Realizing that I had been mystified by her words, Katarina got up, as if she’d realized something. She then walked towards a dresser tucked away in the corner of the room and promptly fished out her dress from a drawer.

“Here. A symbol of our promise — I am entrusting it to you.” With that, she placed something on my hand.

A symbol of promises... that much I knew. A person would give another a personal possession so that they may hold onto it and give it back the next time they met. There were similar customs in a lot of different countries, but... only children or women who worked in the sex trade still practiced it. In this case, Katarina was definitely doing it the way children did.

I stared at the object in my hands, slightly exasperated. “This is a... brooch?” It looked like it had a stone of some kind embedded in it.

“It is a pretty color, right? It matches your eyes. The blue of the sky.” Katarina took the brooch from my hands. “And then... if you tilt it this way so that it catches the light... see? It’s azure now. Aqua-blue. Like how my eyes are, right?”

Just like she said, as the stone caught the light at a certain angle, the color became exactly like her eyes.

“The color of your eyes, and the color of mine... this brooch is both at the same time! Perfect as a symbol of our promise,” Katarina said, smiling faintly.

I had been born with a pretty face, so it was only natural that women came onto me. In fact, I’d never had any problems with women. All kinds of them would approach me, including hostesses and other “working girls.” They’d flirt with familiarity and sweet words, but... I couldn’t sense even the slightest hint of that kind of lie in Katarina’s words. There was passion in her eyes.

Handing someone a stone that had the colors of both my and her eyes... somehow, it was very convincing. I knew I lived in a different world than the one she lived in. I had steeled myself, knowing that it’d be pointless even if I did want her... and yet. I found my resolve immediately shattered by that one, singular line.

I swept Katarina off her feet, moving her to the bed.

“Being with you... warms up my chest, you know. Been a while since I felt anything like this.”

That warmth was the same feeling I’d lost as a kid. It was a mysterious sensation, and it filled my heart when I was together with this girl.

I took off the glasses I wore, and then pinned her down. Although many women had thrown themselves at me up until now... this was the first time I found myself actually wanting someone.

“Hey... would you like to be mine?”

Although Katarina was pinned down on the bed, for some reason, she was still looking straight up at me with those sparkling eyes of hers. This was the first time anyone had looked at me like that... from such a position. It was nothing like that sticky, needy look that I usually got. My heart was racing.

“If you keep looking at me with your eyes sparkling like that... don’t complain if I end up doing... something,” I said, nuzzling Katarina’s neck as I did so. A fragrant, sweet smell filled my senses. I could no longer resist.

“Um... wait— Rufus...?”

I placed my lips on her soft, white skin... and left my mark upon it. My heart was beating unbelievably fast. Even I couldn’t believe what I was feeling.

Up until now, no matter who I slept with, I had never felt anything like this feeling in my heart. If I could have this girl for myself, I...

Bang bang! A few solid knocks sounded through the door.

“Master Rufus, are you available?” a maid’s voice inquired loudly.

I clicked my tongue at the interruption. Just when things were going so well...

“I am currently... occupied,” I said, but whoever was on the other side of the door didn’t give in.

“It is quite an urgent matter.”

I gave in, partly because of how loud the voice was. There was unshakable resolve in that voice. In the end, I gave in and let Katarina go, then headed towards the door. “Ugh... right when it was getting good, too.”

Sighing, I opened the door, only to find the maid that was supposed to be by Selena’s side, smiling. “A letter of utmost importance has just arrived for you,” she said.

“Who is it from...?” I asked, without bothering to hide my irritation.

The maid smiled blatantly. “I have left it in your room. Perhaps it would be in your interest to read it as soon as possible,” she said, once again with that same smile.

My eyes opened wide. “...You. No... can’t be. Well. I guess that’s how it is...”

I’d thought that she was simply a maid with no living relatives, and hired her based just on that, but... no. She was more. This maid was probably an agent from some family who had infiltrated this plan from the start. I could tell by the way she was smiling.

After all, I had done nothing but dirty work all these years. My instincts were usually right when it came to things like this. In that case... this plan had already failed.

“...Well. Guess that’s that.” It was a plan with too many holes anyway.

With a heavy sigh, I left the room.

When I got to my room, the letter was there, as that maid said. It was a letter from Mason.

Apparently, his manor was under investigation. I guess the people at the top finally turned their eyes on him. This time, the small-time crook had gone a little too far. So that meant that everything about this plan must have been revealed already. Mason was never really good at covering his tracks. In that case, the authorities would probably be here soon with the evidence and all that.

There were two paths I could take now. The first option would be to escape from this place as soon as I could. They would surely send people after me, considering I now had the power of Dark Magic. No matter how I thought about it, running would be a pain in the ass.

The other option was to tell the authorities everything Mason did, his crimes and plots, all the while claiming that I was forced into it. Maybe shed a tear or two.

Circumstances are circumstances, and my life was what it was. Thanks to the hand I’d been dealt, I did have attractive features, and I figured I’d make it out somehow. I might still end up having my life restricted though, which would be frustrating.

Well then... which should I choose? Living my life on the run, or having my freedom restricted...?

“Katarina... psst. Katarina.”

“Wah!” Katarina shot away, probably surprised by her late-night guest.

“Haha. You really do sleep well, huh.”

“Wh-What do you want?”

“I guess I really put you on your guard, huh. But that’s fine. I won’t be doing anything anymore. It’s time to face the music, see.”

Guess the authorities will be here soon. I haven’t seen that maid Lana around either for a while.

“Face... music?”

I decided that I wouldn’t be running after all. My instincts and the experience I’d gained throughout my life agreed with me. Even if I’m restricted with my capture, it would be easier than the alternative.

“?”

“Well... I guess I’ll never see you again if I go along with it, so I’m here. Hoping to see your face one last time.”

I had messed up plenty of times before now, and I was caught then too. So I felt like things would work out all right. But still... I knew that if I went through with this, I wouldn’t be able to see any outsiders — regular, law-abiding people who lived apart from the underbelly of society — for a while. I’d never cared about that until now.

After all, I only made temporary, circumstantial connections with people like that while on a job. At most, there’d be a woman I got a little close to. Even in those cases, I never thought about wanting to see her one last time or anything like that.

I guess things have really changed since meeting this girl, huh... I placed my fingers on Katarina’s cheek, savoring the feeling of her soft skin.

“One last time? What do...”

I could hear some kind of commotion outside the room.

“Oh... they’re faster than I expected.” I withdrew my outstretched hand away from Katarina’s cheek and kept my distance from her bed. If that prince who loved and spoiled Katarina so much saw this scene, he’d probably gut me right then and there.

As soon as I’d stepped away, the door slammed open with a loud bang. There was quite the line-up at the door. At the front of it was none other than...

“...Lana?”

The maid merely smiled at Katarina’s surprised voice. “Yes. I introduced myself as such a while ago, but I suppose re-introductions are in order. I am Larna Smith, of the Magical Ministry. Raphael’s superior. I hope we’ll get along.”

Ah, I see. So this woman was from the ministry all along. Her presence and aura were completely different from before. She was still the same person from before who I’d dismissed as a plain maid, but now she had an elegant demeanor. Since she could change her presence this much at will, she was definitely no average woman.

And then that not-so-average woman turned towards me and said, “I see that you have chosen to remain... have you steeled yourself for what is to come, then?”

“Yes. I’ll tell you everything... in your custody.” I nodded, making sure to look as meek as possible. That would be important to my “pitiful youth” image.

With that, a few of the people who had been standing behind her all this time — more flunkies from the ministry, I guess — surrounded and restrained me.

Now it was time for me to be taken away... but before we left, that girl called out to me.

“U-Um!” Katarina said. Her eyes looked desperate.

“I’ll hold on to it. Until our promise is fulfilled,” I replied, showing her the brooch in my hands.

Katarina seemed reassured by that, and responded with a somewhat cheerful “Yes.”