Episode 5
Katrina returned to the mansion.
“Young Lady, the Duke is asking for you.”
So it begins.
Her outing must have reached Duke Abiche’s ears.
She had expected him to be displeased once he found out.
“All right. I’ll go.”
Katrina’s father, Duke Abiche.
He treated Katrina strictly as a commodity.
“If you become useless, I’ll send you back to the orphanage.”
That was what he had said the first time they met.
“…Father, it’s Katrina.”
Katrina stood before his office with a heavy heart.
Before her return, according to the original story, Katrina’s reputation had been in the gutter, and Duke Abiche loathed her for it.
“Come in.”
Once she was granted permission, Katrina opened the door.
At that moment, a round object flew toward her face.
Crash!
Duke Abiche had thrown a flower vase at her.
What a lunatic.
Katrina looked at him, startled.
“Tch! Would’ve been better if it hit and killed you.”
Katrina remained silent.
“……”
“Have you lost your mind? I told you you’re being sent to the convent—so why would you go out like everything’s fine?”
The Duke shouted sharply.
“Who would want someone like you back?”
Starting with insults again.
“Healing you was just for appearances. What would people think if I let a dying child rot in bed?”
“……”
“I figured I just needed to keep you around until you died…”
The Duke scowled in dissatisfaction.
“But now that you’ve survived, you’re a nuisance.”
Such blunt cruelty.
Ha…
Katrina looked him straight in the eyes.
“…I’m sorry, Father.”
Instead of confronting him, Katrina bowed her head.
There was nothing to gain by resisting.
Her goal was to obtain the Wish Stone.
For that, even if she hated it, she had to stay in this house for now.
“Of course you should be sorry. You should’ve just died when your divine power disappeared.”
“……”
“Your worth ended right there, Katrina.”
She’d heard this so often, it barely registered anymore.
Once blessed with immense divine power, Katrina had been chosen as a Saint candidate.
Thanks to that, she had been adopted into the Abiche household…
But a few years later, the divine power within her vanished like a mirage.
For Duke Abiche, who had adopted her just to raise a Saint, it had been a major loss.
“Stay quiet until the day you leave for the convent.”
Katrina nodded obediently.
“Yes, Father. I’ll reflect on my actions.”
“You may go now.”
With that, Duke Abiche dismissed her.
Ha…
Everything was already tangled up the moment she returned.
She had no intention of going quietly to the convent.
To prevent that, she would need to persuade the Duke.
“Katrina.”
The moment she was kicked out of the office, a cold voice called her name.
Damian.
Of course she’d run into him the moment she stepped out.
Did he have business with her?
Katrina tried to ignore him and return to the annex.
“You saw Father, I assume.”
“……”
“Waking up after three years, I’m sure you had a lot to talk about.”
She remembered how Damian had smiled coldly when she first woke up.
So that was what it was about?
“You’re being sent to the convent?”
“……”
“It wouldn’t be so bad to rest comfortably there.”
His blue eyes curved into a smile, but his gaze was like he was staring at something filthy.
Damian walked right past her and entered the office.
This damned house…
…This is why she never wanted to come back.
Katrina returned to her room as Duke Abiche had ordered.
She was to stay put until the day she left for the convent.
But she had no intention of just sitting still.
Somehow, she had to get her hands on the Wish Stone and return home.
And…
Sylas Rockfenheim.
She had no intention of letting him off easy.
She wouldn’t let Lucife act as he pleased either.
To do all of that, she first had to stop the trip to the convent.
How could she do that?
Katrina thought hard.
Then suddenly, one person came to mind.
…Crown Prince Raymond.
Am I insane?
Why would he come to mind?
It was a ridiculous thought.
Raymond Ascliffe.
That bastard.
The man who used her thoroughly and then tossed her aside.
He’d never help her.
Everyone knew what kind of man he was.
Still…
Do I have any other option?
If she stayed quiet, she’d be dragged to the convent.
Katrina sat at her desk and pulled out a piece of paper.
Conveniently, a pen was nearby too.
Raymond Ascliffe, you’ll have no choice but to help me.
I’ll make sure of it.
Katrina picked up the pen.
[I love you, Your Highness.]
She never thought she’d have to write such a nauseating line again.
It had been a week since Katrina Abiche awoke.
Once so famous, the news of her recovery spread through the capital like wildfire.
“Katrina Abiche has awakened, Your Highness.”
Naturally, the news reached Crown Prince Raymond before long.
Golden hair like the sun, eyes as deep as a forest—he looked like a masterpiece sculpted by the gods.
“She should’ve stayed dead.”
Raymond’s voice was ice-cold.
At one time, Katrina had loved him blindly. It had almost seemed pitiful.
His aide had once pitied her, too.
But that didn’t last long. After seeing her wicked nature, the aide came to loathe her.
“Ah, Your Highness. There’s a letter from House Abiche. The sender is Damian Abiche.”
The aide began to open the envelope bearing the fine seal—when a crumpled piece of paper fell out.
“Even the perfect Damian Abiche makes mistakes, huh?”
The aide assumed the paper was trash that had been included by accident.
As he reached to toss it out, Raymond unfolded it.
“Your Highness, that’s garbage. Let me—”
“It’s not garbage.”
“Pardon?”
Raymond’s reaction was strange.
“What’s wrong?”
The usually composed Raymond had stiffened. The aide glanced at the paper.
[Are you still in pain?
My poor, pitiful prince.
I want to personally ease your breathless agony.
Come find me.]
“…This letter—is it from Katrina?”
“Seems like it.”
“My god. She’s barely awake and already writing this filth to Your Highness… What is this lunatic woman thinking?”
The aide was speechless with rage.
For a brief moment, Raymond’s expression cracked, but he quickly covered it with a practiced smile.
“A visit to House Abiche might not be such a bad idea.”
His breathtaking beauty made the aide momentarily dazed before snapping back.
“Are you serious?”
Raymond didn’t answer.
Katrina Abiche.
Watching her desperately cling to him used to be amusing.
But eventually…
He got tired of her.
Once her divine power vanished, she became completely useless.
Does she even know what she’s doing, calling for him now?
The laughter had vanished completely from his green eyes.
Time passed, and the day came for Katrina to leave for the convent.
Why hasn’t there been any word?
Did the letter even arrive?
…Did it fail?
That can’t be.
Surely, he would need her.
Maybe she had been too confident.
Looking back, there were plenty of reasons Raymond wouldn’t come.
To him, Katrina was nothing more than a toy—no more, no less.
“Come here, Katrina.”
She still remembered.
His face, his voice, his gesture—everything about the way he used to call her.
“Running to me the moment I call—pathetic.”
Arrogant bastard. Katrina hated that about him.
But Katrina knew exactly how to make even a man like Raymond bend to her will.
So…
He’ll come. He has to.
