TLB 03

Chapter 3

“Yeah. Maybe the coachman took a wrong turn. I haven’t been at the duke’s estate long, so…”

“No, I think we shouldn’t have gotten out. Something’s very wrong.”

“What? But…”

“Do you have a way to contact the duchy? Do it now.”

I answered while looking up at her. She was sweating, clearly flustered, staring at me with a desperate expression. She didn’t seem completely doubtful of my words—if anything, she was taking them seriously. She gave a strong nod in response.

“Yes, yes. The butler gave me a summoning bell artifact in case of emergencies. If I press this…”

As Hebe spoke and pointed to the brooch on her chest—thud, she collapsed that very moment.

“…Nanny!”

“You’re such a nuisance.”

Standing behind the crumpling Hebe was the coachman.

He glared at me with a gloomy, somewhat sly face. Then he lifted his collar slightly and whispered something to someone.

“Commence the Saeilkar ruin operation. Kidnap the girl.”

It was a very soft whisper, yet I heard his voice perfectly clearly. He had definitely said “Saeilkar ruin operation.”

In that moment, my eyes sharpened. My intuition had been right. …As I thought. Kidnapping me was the core of the Saeilkar operation. Unbelievable. They hadn’t killed me, but dumped me in the backstreets of Otern—so that was… Nad.

The people who ruined my life and those who tried to kill me were from the same organization.

“Hah. Ha ha…”

The realization brought out a dry laugh. The man, who had just been whispering into his collar, now looked at me in confusion. He frowned slightly, as if something about me didn’t sit right.

“What’s this? Is she crazy or something…?”

“Hey.”

I cut him off sharply. The man tilted his head.

With firm conviction, I stared back at him.

“Then if I don’t get kidnapped, Saeilkar won’t fall into ruin, right?”

“What?”

“That means Nad will be in trouble too, right?”

As I spoke, his eyes widened in shock.

“Nad—how do you know that name…? What the hell?”

“Well, the important thing is… I’ve made up my mind.”

I clenched my fist tightly.

“There’s no way I’m letting you kidnap me. You all can go to hell.”

“What? What are you even talking about, you little brat?”

The man raised one corner of his mouth, as if mocking me. Let him. I launched my body as quickly and sharply as I could. I dove into Hebe’s collapsed form and pressed the brooch I had taken note of earlier. I felt the click—and the brooch lit up.

“I’m being kidnapped! Back alley entrance of Otern! Come save me, now!”

I shouted at the top of my lungs and quickly jumped away from her body. Hebe was fully collapsed on the ground, her once gentle face now completely pale. I wanted to check her pulse, but… I had to survive first. Sorry, Hebe!

Having sent the alert through the brooch, I turned and ran without looking back.

“You—what the hell?! You brat! Stop right there!”

The man shouted furiously. He immediately began to chase me. I couldn’t get caught. I ran with all my might.

But one question still nagged at me. If this is the past, then how the hell did I come back? …I furrowed my brows, recalling a certain face. It had to be that man. The one who had looked down on me—so impossibly beautiful it defied description.

…The one who had boldly called me “my love.”

What was it he said back then?

“Comet’s ‘Return’ has been activated.”

“Comet…”

He said “Return.” Was that the name of a magic?

Just then, I felt a strange sensation in my hand.

“Huh?”

What the…

I looked down—and a black gauntlet had formed on my hand.

“…What? What the hell?”

Even while running, I examined the gauntlet that now wrapped around my hand. I had seen this before. Of course I had. How could I forget? It was my gauntlet.

But the appearance had changed. This gauntlet was in the same form it had taken when I was at the brink of death—when I’d poured all my power into it. Smooth, gleaming black, elegantly curved, with a red ruby embedded in the knuckles.

The only difference was the size—smaller now, just right for my seven-year-old fist. Wait, hold on. But then…

“Why did this suddenly appear?”

–You called for me, master.

“AAAAAAAHHH!”

I screamed, startled out of my wits. A voice had just spoken—in my head! The booming voice echoed in my skull so loudly I nearly fainted.

“What the hell is this?!”

The voice in my head let out a hearty laugh.

–Hahaha! Surprised, are you? Should I formally introduce myself? …Well then, let’s.

Suddenly, my vision changed—I now stood in a vast white space.

In front of me was a middle-aged man with flowing red hair.

He was huge, like a giant, clad head to toe in a full red chain-plated armor. His long, wild hair flared like flames. No—it was flames. Sparks flew every time his hair blazed. Even his beard was on fire.

He looked down at me and smiled warmly.

–Nice to meet you, young lady. I am Comet, Flame Grand Marshal, and overseer of the Southern Inferno.

“…Wha? Co-Comet? Contract?!”

–You summoned me by proving yourself through the gauntlet, and thus we’re now contracted. And just before death, my unique skill—‘Return’—was activated.

“Contract? Proof?”

–You died fighting for others. That righteous heart is what proved your worth. Only those like you can summon me through the gauntlet—and contract with me.

But wait—I only grabbed the gauntlet because that guy told me to! As I recalled that moment, a thunderous realization hit me.

“I’m not watching you because I’m some pervert—I’m trying to figure out your fate and how to keep you alive.”

“Save your strength and channel it. That gauntlet is quite the artifact.”

He knew.

That’s why he guided me to awaken this gauntlet? To save me?

–Late, but allow me to properly introduce myself, Verdet. I am Comet! Grand Marshal of Blazing Fire, keeper of the Southern Flame. I’ve long slumbered within this gauntlet until you awakened me with our contract! It’s great to see you in such health!

“…Is your ‘Return’ ability the thing that made me younger and turned me into some noble’s daughter?”

–My ability ‘Return’ takes the summoner back to the moment in their life when they could become their strongest.

“So that means…”

–This moment, your noble identity—this was the key opportunity for you to become your strongest self. You’ve been given a second chance at everything you once lost.

“So if I don’t get kidnapped now… that means I really can become the strongest version of myself?”

–That’s right. Though I had no power to make you a noble. You already were one.

What kind of unbelievable twist of fate is this?

My eyes trembled as I looked up at him.

“…So, what do I do now… sir?”

–Just use me.

Comet said it without hesitation.

–I exist to serve my master. You’ll use my power to achieve your desires. Our contract lasts until the day you die. When your body is no more—then, and only then, will our contract end.

At those words, I furrowed my brows.