Why was I crying? Hmm.
"It's nothing. Just a nightmare?"
Right.
I couldn't fool myself anymore by calling it hosickness.
Returning to the temple was a nightmare for .
Was it because I enjoyed life outside too much, or was it that I actually liked people more than I thought?
Regardless of my realization, the fact remained—I would have to return to the temple soday.
Thinking about it was suffocating, but ti would make it easier to accept.
Humans are creatures of adaptation, after all.
"You're about to cry again."
"I'm not."
"You cry that much over a nightmare?"
"I'm just the kind of person who cries a lot."
"Didn’t you say before that you weren’t?"
"I never said that. Who have you been talking to while I was gone?"
I deliberately glared at Cruello.
He let out a small scoff.
Seizing the mont—attack!
"Then why are you here, Cruello? Did you finally co to assassinate this ti?"
The soul fragnt that had returned to had been by Cruello’s side just before finding .
That ant I had a vague idea of what he had been up to.
Yes, the attempt to revive Viga.
Of course, it couldn’t have worked.
The real question was—why was Cruello here after failing to bring her back?
Could it be that he suspected because I collapsed at just the right timing?
That would be overthinking it. No matter how much I was a follower of the god of storytelling, that was too much of a stretch.
"I was going to return to the funeral hall quickly, but I got delayed more than expected. I stopped by to ask if you found the key. It’s urgent, after all."
Liar.
My eyes narrowed instinctively, but I answered smoothly.
"I didn't find it. I even laid flowers four tis, pretending to be different people, but it wasn’t there."
Of course not.
The key had already fallen into Cruello’s hands years ago.
And I was the one who had given it to him, so I couldn’t exactly complain about it.
"That’s why I was wondering—could Eden have it?"
"Eden?"
"Yes. Right before I ca back, I saw him at the funeral hall. I think it might be a good idea to et with him."
I brought up Eden naturally, but a wave of frustration hit .
What was I doing?
I didn’t know exactly how much of my mory had been passed on to Cruello, but judging by his actions, he no longer trusted Eden.
And I already knew Eden was behind the Black Serpent.
We both knew the truth, yet we had to dance around it to avoid suspicion. It was maddening.
If only I weren’t under divine orders to stay silent—ugh.
"Eden is at the High Temple right now. You won’t be able to et him."
"What?"
"His illness worsened because of everything that happened. I heard three High Priests are tending to him, but even with them, he might not make it through the week."
I furrowed my brows.
There was no way he was actually sick, but the fact that three High Priests were tending to him made sick.
Setting aside the hidden details, what kind of treatnt was that for the child of a necromancer leader?
"Well, nothing I can do, then. I suppose I could check Eden’s residence at the Duke’s estate—"
Bbyak.
"Bbyak? ...Huh?"
I had ant to say residence, but an unexpected sound had cut off.
I looked down.
A round, plump little finch was staring up at .
Bbyak!
"...Sprout?"
The fact that I hadn’t sensed its presence ant it was Pianissimo.
But why was it in my room?
Wait a minute.
If Pianissimo was here, then that ant its owner was too—
The mont the thought clicked, the door swung open.
Cruello was right beside !
I whipped my head around, but the spot next to was empty.
Fast!
"Siora!"
I turned back as naturally as I could.
I wasn't facing just one person.
I was facing two.
Maybe it was because of the night, but their silver hair and pale faces looked like two full moons had risen.
I waved at them shalessly.
"Good evening, both of you."
"If you were awake, you should have said sothing!"
"Well, it’s too early in the morning. Were you worried?"
"How could we not be?"
Minuet huffed in frustration.
I had expected Gavotte to be the one getting angry.
"One mont you’re fine, and the next, you collapse with no warning. The doctors and priests just kept saying you were fine, repeating the sa nonsense over and over."
"And that’s not all. When we tried taking you to the High Temple, they turned us away, saying they already had an urgent patient."
"So what exactly happened? No, wait—turn on the lights first."
Minuet flicked on the lamp.
The room was instantly flooded with light.
I squinted, unable to adjust to the sudden brightness.
But that wasn’t the real problem.
"You... cried?"
Of course. Even if I had wiped my face, it was still obvious.
I rolled my eyes, searching for an excuse, then decided to recycle my earlier one.
"Mm... just a nightmare."
"What kind of nightmare makes you cry like a fish out of water?"
"I dreamt that Gavotte died."
"What?!"
Gavotte’s jaw dropped at my blatant lie.
This was fun.
"It was touching, really. You, who always tremble like a frightened rabbit, ended up sacrificing yourself to protect everyone. I saw you in a whole new light."
"I don’t get scared!"
"Only you think that, Bati."
"Hey, Minuet!"
"So you really don’t intend to tell us why you were crying."
"No, seriously, it’s nothing—wait."
What is that?
I suddenly grabbed Minuet’s left hand and pulled it toward .
"You’re in no position to talk. Minuet, what’s on the back of your hand?"
"Oh, this?"
This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.
Two small, round marks.
There was no visible bruising or bleeding, but the wounds unmistakably resembled the bite marks of a snake.
"When I ca back from the funeral hall, I noticed them. Must’ve gotten scratched sowhere."
"Are you sure you weren’t bitten by a snake?"
"I even had it checked for venom, but nothing ca up. Shouldn’t you be more worried about yourself right now?"
Minuet spoke as if it were nothing, but I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling.
Of all things, why did it have to resemble a snake bite?
I wasn’t particularly afraid of snakes, but given everything I’d been through, anyone could understand my unease.
I knew I shouldn’t push myself too ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) hard, considering how I’d just returned to my body.
But... just a little should be fine, right?
Making my own judgnt, I gathered my divine energy.
And then—
"Ugh—!"
"Siora!"
I coughed up blood.
Just one trip outside my body, and I was already falling apart.
But at least I managed to flood Minuet’s hand with divine energy before losing consciousness.
That was enough to give so peace of mind.
***
That night, I had a dream where a giant snake coiled around and swallowed whole.
I’d been talking about nightmares, and now I actually had one.
And I imdiately understood why when I opened my eyes the next morning.
"...What the hell is this?"
I was buried under multiple layers of blankets, weighing down like a lead coffin.
No, it wasn’t just that they were piled on top of .
I had been wrapped in them—like soone had bandaged up so tightly that I couldn’t even wiggle my fingers.
What was going on? The ceiling still looked like my room in the Bonetti estate, but had I been dragged off to so kind of interrogation chamber?
Just then, a familiar face peeked over .
"Ah, you’re awake, Lady Siora?"
"Betty!"
I squird against my blanket restraints in excitent.
"What’s with all these blankets? Don’t tell my sleep habits have gotten this bad."
"No, I’m the one who wrapped you up."
I really wished she wouldn’t say things like that so cheerfully.
"The Count ordered you to be on strict bed rest for the ti being."
"What? If I stay like this any longer, I’ll die."
"Cause of death?"
"Uh... overheating, maybe? Heatstroke?"
"In that case—ah."
Betty casually reached out, and before I knew it, sothing cold and sweet entered my mouth.
Sorbet.
Mmm, delicious.
"But don’t eat too much, my lady. You’ll lose your appetite for actual als."
"I’m not a child."
I grumbled but still opened my mouth like a baby bird every ti she fed .
Being wrapped up like this while eating cold sorbet... the temperature balance was perfect.
Honestly, it was kind of nice.
"Do I have to stay like this all day?"
"At least until the Count returns from his outing."
"So I’m just supposed to sleep all day."
"Ah, speaking of which, you have a visitor today. They don’t have much ti, so would you like to see them? You’ll have to et them here, though."
eting soone like this?
I was about to refuse, but then I hesitated.
Wait a second. If I had a visitor, that ant Betty would have to leave the room.
If I played this right, I could use the opportunity to regain my freedom.
I agreed without hesitation.
"I’ll et them. But who—?"
Before I could finish my sentence, there was a knock at the door.
At first, I thought it was one of the Bonetti servants.
But it wasn’t.
Betty, completely unfazed, spoke up.
"Oh my, it looks like your guest is already here."
"What? Wait, hold on. The only kind of person who would show up like—"
"Please co in, Your Grace. Lady Siora has agreed to see you."
Of course.
The door swung open, revealing none other than Cruello D. White Desert.
His arms were full of red flowers—ones that burned as vividly as his own eyes.
He tilted his head slightly, his gaze curling with amusent.
"Hello, darling."
"Well then," Betty said cheerfully, "I’ll leave you two to enjoy your ti together."
Without hesitation, she stepped out of the room, and Cruello took her seat.
The switch was so smooth, so seamless, that I was montarily at a loss for words.
"These are poinsettias," he said. "Not exactly the usual choice for a sickroom, but you seed healthy enough to handle them."
"I don’t care about the flowers. Do I look healthy to you right now?"
"You should’ve been living a quieter life."
"Oh, do you rember whose fault it is that my life has been so chaotic?"
"Haha."
"Don’t just laugh. Untie ."
"I can’t. The Count threatened to personally deal with anyone who so much as laid a finger on you."
That’s not what he ant.
Cruello knew that, but he was playing dumb as usual.
He rested his chin on his hand, one leg crossed over the other, and tilted his head slightly.
His eyes curved in a way that sent an odd chill down my spine.
"Darling," he murmured, "you’re quite... loved."
His words carried too much weight.
I let out a long, exaggerated sigh.
"Listen. Trying to create a mood in this situation is just ridiculous. Now, untie ."
"...Alright."
Finally, I regained my freedom.
Or at least, half of it.
My upper body was free, but the rest of remained completely immobilized.
"Did your magic break or sothing?"
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