Chapter 7
What… is this?
— Seems like using my power in a child’s body is taking a toll on you.
Ah, I see. The tension wore off…
— But remember this. Frankly, my flame isn’t red. It’s far bluer than that pale flame of Sialcar.
What’s he even talking about…?
— This means you’ll have to train hard from now on. With your talent, and your righteous heart, if you can fully wield my power… you can set me free…
Ugh, this one and that one won’t stop talking. I ignored the rambling voices of Comet and Saldir and fell unconscious on the spot.
It was my first battle, and my first victory.
Then, I opened my eyes.
“Gasp.”
Where am I? I grabbed my head and tried to recall my last memory. I stormed into a cult’s hideout… the gauntlet glowed… I ended up in a child’s body… but the child turned out to be the youngest daughter of the Duke of Sialcar… and before I could even adjust to being in her body, I was almost kidnapped, fought off the kidnappers… formed a contract with Comet…
I burned it all… I burned it down, didn’t I?
“…Where am I?”
I quickly sat up in a panic and looked around.
It was a massive bed. Large enough to fit six full-grown adults. The room wasn’t dark because of the time of day, but because of the thick canopy surrounding the bed—delicate lace curtains inside, layered with heavy, dark pink blackout drapes.
I checked my clothes quickly. Thankfully, I was still wearing the same outfit from the kidnapping. I reached into my pocket. I could feel the shape of the wasp-shaped brooch I’d sewn into the lining.
Whew, thank goodness. I’ve got evidence.
But… how long was I out? I rolled off the bed and pushed the curtain aside.
“…Wow.”
I couldn’t help but let out a gasp. The room was enormous. As large as a couple of joined halls—could’ve been used as a gym or a training ground. Toys were scattered all over the floor.
At first glance, it looked like a mess no one had cleaned. But I soon realized it was all intentionally arranged that way for a child’s benefit. Otherwise, how would every toy be so perfectly organized by color, material, and purpose?
There were colorful ride-on toys, wooden swords and dummies seemingly left for sparring, and elegant porcelain dolls. As I stared at it all, I instinctively took a step forward.
And that’s when it happened.
“Milady?”
“Miss Berdette?”
The curtain I had slightly drawn was suddenly flung open, and two women appeared before me. They wore typical maid outfits, but the quality and accessories were far beyond anything a commoner household could afford. I stared up at them blankly.
Who are these people?
“She’s awake!”
The two women clasped their cheeks with both hands and cried out in delight. Then they moved in perfect sync—one scooped me up in her arms, and the other rushed over to the wall to ring every bell cord vigorously.
“She’s awake! The young lady woke up after an hour!”
So it had been an hour.
Well, thanks for shouting it aloud…
Who are these people?
They didn’t seem like enemies. Still confused, I looked around. Just then, the double doors to the room burst open, and three more maids rushed in, all dressed the same.
“Miss!”
“The youngest lady is awake!”
One of them placed down a basin of clean water and towels. Were they planning to wash me?
“Send word to the kitchen! Have them bring the stew we prepared!”
“Notify the other Sialcar lords!”
“Tell the footmen too!”
“I already informed the housekeeper!”
“Tell her to hurry over!”
Someone tugged the bell ropes again. My head was starting to spin.
“What about the madam? Bring her immediately!”
“She fainted and is inhaling stimulants!”
“Bring her anyway! She insisted she’d be by her daughter’s side, even in a wheelchair! Hurry!”
“What about the doctor?!”
And then—
“Hoho, I’m here now.”
Someone pulled me toward them more forcefully than expected. Startled, I turned and saw a woman with brown hair and glasses smiling at me.
“Periot-nim!”
“Doctor! You’re here!”
“Miss, I’m Periot, your attending physician. Do you remember me?”
I widened my eyes at the woman who had drawn me in. She beamed at me like a mother looking at her child.
“I was so worried. Thank you for waking up. Thank you for coming back.”
Then, without warning, she pulled me into a hug.
Trapped in her embrace, I frowned without hugging her back. She spoke gently, treated me delicately as if I were a precious treasure—but when she hugged me, her grip was oddly rough and lacked genuine care. Even now, she was holding the back of this child’s neck like she meant to trap me.
“Doctor, where were you?”
“I had something to attend to. I apologize for being late.”
Even as she replied to the maid, Periot tightened her grip so I couldn’t wriggle free.
Is this normal? It hurts.
I frowned—then—
“Let me light my special incense. Once it burns, your consciousness will fully return.”
As soon as she said the word incense—
—“AAAAAAAH! I hate that incense! I hate it!! MOTHER!!! AHHHH!”
Someone screamed inside my head. No, it was me. My face turned bright red and cold sweat broke out, but I didn’t stop screaming.
As I panicked, that familiar voice responded.
“Miss, do you dislike this incense that much?”
It was Periot. Was this a memory stored in this body? As I tried to make sense of the sudden flashback—
I, as the young girl, screamed again.
“That incense makes me weak and sleepy! I hate it!”
“…Ha, damn. The brat’s sharp again. She really is a Sialcar, huh?”
…What?
That sarcastic remark came from the supposedly sweet doctor. I frowned.
In the memory, Periot didn’t stop. She grabbed the young girl’s hair and yanked it hard. Her treatment of a seven-year-old was outright abusive.
Just as the little me inhaled sharply, Periot shoved a pill into my automatically opened mouth. I could still feel the unpleasant sensation of it sliding down my throat.
“Ugh, I hate seeing your face. No matter how much you resist, everyone will just think you’re throwing a tantrum. Just behave. Honestly, I’d feed you poison if I could. But for now, let’s just delay your power awakening. …Still, this’ll probably be the last time I see you. I hope you get abducted by those traffickers and rot in hell.”
“AAAAAH! No! Let me go! Let me go!”
“Can’t you sit still?!”
So… the seven-year-old me wasn’t a brat throwing tantrums.
This woman had been abusing me. No—more than that.
She orchestrated my kidnapping?
A spy inside the ducal house. That’s what she was.
I was horrified—but also found it easy to believe.
How else could the beloved and well-protected only daughter of House Sialcar have been kidnapped so easily?
It had to be because of someone on the inside.
